FORMER BANK EMPLOYEE SENTENCED TO 53 MONTHS

Wheaton Woman Stole More Than $140,000 from Seniors’ Bank Accounts

WHEATON – DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett announced today that 42 year-old Amy Esposito, (d.o.b. 9/03/1967) of 624 Aurora Way, Wheaton, was sentenced to 53 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections for stealing $144,677.18 from the bank accounts of elderly customers at a bank where she worked.

             Today’s sentencing stems from allegations that through her position as an Operations Officer and Senior Personal Banker at Community Bank - Wheaton/Glen Ellyn, Esposito gained access to customer accounts and withdrew and transferred unauthorized funds from these accounts.  Esposito would then use the illegally gotten funds to pay her own personal expenses.  The embezzlement took place from February, 2004 through July, 2008.  Her scheme however, was uncovered when one of the victim’s family members alerted bank authorities to discrepancies in their parent’s account.  The bank conducted their own internal audit and turned over their findings to the State’s Attorney’s Office. 

             Esposito was indicted on the charges on April 8, 2009 and on July 29, she entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of Financial Institution Fraud, a Class 1 Felony.  Judge Perry Thompson handed down today’s sentence.

             “For more than four years Amy Esposito used the Community Bank – Wheaton/Glen Ellyn as her own personal piggy bank,” remarked Birkett.  “She took advantage of the trust that was placed in her to line her own pockets.  Thanks to Community Bank’s diligence and assistance however, we were able to bring an end to Mrs. Esposito’s thievery and hold her accountable for her actions.”    

###