Banker caught stealing $68,000 from elderly customer sentenced to prison

FLORIDA — A Florida banker caught stealing more than $68,000 from an elderly customer’s bank account has been sentenced to federal prison.

Benjamin Lara, 39, of Ruskin, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for mail fraud. The court also ordered Mr Lara to pay $68,086.23 in restitution.

U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven sentenced him.

Mr Lara entered a guilty plea on November 13, 2023.

According to court documents, between March 2016 and July 2017, Mr Lara was employed as a personal banker at a bank in West Bradenton. Through this position, Mr Lara assisted an 85-year-old bank customer.

Mr Lara is said to have later used information gained through his position to send 31 automatic bill payment checks in his name to his home address in Ruskin from that customer’s accounts.

Mr Lara also electronically transferred funds from the victim’s account onto three pre-paid cards. In total, between December 2017 and July 2019, Lara reportedly stole $68,086 from the victim’s bank account.

The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel prosecuted it.