Former Bank Manager Sentenced in Fraud Schemes
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAn Avon woman has been sentenced to three years in prison on bank and mail fraud charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana says Susan Fruits, 46, devised two schemes to defraud customers of a KeyBank branch in Brownsburg.
According to court documents, Fruits admitted in court that between 2017 and 2020, she withdrew money from customers’ Certificate of Deposit accounts without their consent and digitally forged signatures before approving the withdrawals. She admitted the scheme netted her more than $180,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports Fruits also targeted three children for whom she served as guardian and trustee of their inheritance. Fruits says a close friend died in mid-2015, leaving trust accounts for them, with each account holding more than $50,000 for the children. Fruits told investigators she spent all the money over the course of eight months, and to conceal the thefts, she says she created and mailed fake bank statements purporting to show the accounts were still full. Fruits admitted to stealing more than $315,000.
“Ms. Fruits’ actions were full of greed and selfishness. It is sad to see someone abuse a position of trust for self-enrichment, especially at the cost of children who have already lost so much. Fruits has been brought to justice and the victims will receive what is due to them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John Childress.
Fruits will also serve two years of supervised release and will be required to pay over $315,000 in restitution.