Former Employee of Ellington Bank Sentenced on Federal Embezzlement Charges

ST. LOUIS—The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Thelma Black has been sentenced to 27 months in prison and five years’ supervised release on charges of embezzling approximately $444,000 from a customer account.

According to court documents, Thelma Black was employed by Sun Security Bank and its predecessor from approximately October 1, 1983 until approximately May 25, 2011. From approximately 2000 to approximately May 2011, Black transferred approximately $444,000 from a customer’s bank accounts at Sun Security Bank without the customer’s knowledge or consent. She admitted with her plea that she embezzled the funds by directly or indirectly transferring the money into her account or cashing the checks herself.

THELMA BLACK, Farmington, Missouri, pled guilty last December to two felony counts of bank embezzlement before United States District Judge Jean C. Hamilton. She was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $451,000.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.