Jeri Sell, 55, of Tulare, California, was arrested today and charged with embezzling $679,000 from client accounts at the Tulare branch of Citizens Business Bank, where she had been employed as a manager. According to authorities, Sell withdrew funds from several customers' accounts from 2005 to 2009 and used her position as manager to conceal her thefts from both the customers and the bank. After the scheme unravelled, Sell reportedly called one of the bank customers she stole from, leaving a voicemail, "I want to apologize, I've done some things on your account that I'm not proud of. I'm thinking of killing myself. Please call me back." Authorities believe Sell has a serious gambling problem that may have contributed to her actions. Ironically, Sell was named the Tulare "Woman of the Year" in 2008.Read the story here, here and here.
Update (4/5/11): Sell, now 56, pleaded guilty today and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18th.
Update (6/21/11): Sell, now 57, has been sentenced to 4 years in prison. She was also ordered to pay as much as $1.2 million in restitution, depending upon legal, investigative and other costs associated with the matter.
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