MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Department of Justice said a former bank employee from Sarasota was sentenced to federal prison for stealing from deceased bank customers.
According to the DOJ, Elias Israel Roblero Rangel, 27, worked as a personal banker at SunTrust Bank in Sarasota, where he stole customer information and conducted fraudulent transactions using their personal identifying information.
The DOJ said Roblero Rangel embezzled a total of $44,187.18 from five different customers, targeting elderly and deceased bank customers. Between December 26, 2019, and January 28, 2020, Roblero Rangel conducted multiple transactions totaling to $10,041.24 with a fraudulent replacement credit card he had ordered for a deceased customer.
When confronted, Roblero Rangel admitted to committing fraud to investigators but stated he only stole from one customer; however, the investigation uncovered four additional victims.
Roblero Rangel was captured on surveillance video conducting the transactions he made using the victim’s debit card to withdraw funds from several Truist Bank ATMs throughout the state.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service takes any complaints of the fraudulent use of the mail seriously, especially those who abuse their position of trust and utilize the mail to commit fraudulent schemes,” said Postal Inspector Rick Johnsten.
Officials said Roblero Rangel pleaded guilty in June of this year to charges and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew, to one year and one day in federal prison for theft by a bank employee and access device fraud and was also ordered by the court to pay restitution to Truist Bank (formally called SunTrust Bank) in the amount of $44,187.18.
This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
