Bank Teller Busted for Embezzlement

A Missouri bank teller could spend four years in prison for allegedly embezzling more than $80,000 from Commerce Bank depositor accounts.

Sandra Geimer, 37, was indicted March 31 on two counts of felony theft; theft that authorities said totaled about $80,000. The U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis said Geimer, a resident of Festus, Mo., took money from customer accounts when working as a teller supervisor at a Commerce Bank branch in Tesson Ferry, southwest of St. Louis.

A federal grand jury indicted her on two aggravated identity theft counts, each of which could result in a two-year prison term and a fine of as much as $1 million.

U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan said several of the victims were elderly or disabled, and did not notice the unauthorized withdrawals until well after they occurred. The alleged withdrawals happened between August 2007 and September 2009, Callahan said.

The case underlines an important part of fighting identity theft. Experts say people should check their bank and credit card accounts routinely, watching for any suspicious activity. That allows any possible theft to be detected and stopped more quickly.