Crime

3 former bank tellers in Greater Boston allegedly stole thousands from customer accounts, prosecutors say

Citizens Bank apologized for "any inconvenience" the theft caused to their customers.

A woman uses a Citizens Bank ATM in 2012.

December 5, 2024

2 minutes to read

Three former Citizens Bank employees in Boston allegedly stole money from customers’ accounts by processing unauthorized withdrawals, prosecutors said.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan’s office released a statement on the incident, accusing Yeimaly Moscat, 23, Yojairis Suazo, 21, and Angelica Morales, 31, of allegedly stealing more than a collective $90,000 from Citizens Bank customers.

“The safety and security of our customer’s accounts is of the upmost importance to us and we have robust security measures in place to monitor suspicious activity,” Citizens Bank said in a statement to Boston.com. “We take the privacy and protection of information entrusted to us seriously and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

The statement said Citizens Bank addressed the matter “immediately.”

An investigation found that Moscat was a bank teller at a Citizens Bank branch in Somerville between September and November of 2022, Ryan’s office said. According to the statement, Moscat allegedly processed 12 unauthorized withdrawals from the victim’s bank accounts. The withdrawals totaled $40,900, Ryan’s office said.

Suazo was employed as a Citizens Bank teller in Dorchester during the same time period as Moscat, the statement said. Ryan’s office said Suzazo allegedly processed 15 unauthorized withdrawals that totalled $30,850.

“The stolen funds in question, in both circumstances, were paid out in counter transactions to suspected associates of Moscat and Suazo,” Ryan’s office said. “Moscat and Suazo facilitated the transactions by entering the recipients as ‘Known Customers,’ even though the individuals at the counter were not the account holders.”

3 Citizens Bank tellers allegedly stole thousands of dollars

Morales worked at a Milton Citizens Bank location between November and December 2023, the statement said. Ryan’s office said she was allegedly “recruited” to carry out the scheme. Morales allegedly processed five unauthorized withdrawals from customer bank accounts, the statement said. The funds, which Ryan’s office said totaled $20,000, were also paid in counter transactions.

“The allegations in this case are that three defendants, executed a coordinated scheme to steal funds from bank customers. They used their positions of trust to invade accounts and allegedly used their coconspirators to successfully take substantial sums from the bank,” District Attorney Ryan said.

Moscat faces two counts of larceny, one court of embezzlement by a bank employee, two counts of conspiracy to commit larceny, and one count of attempted larceny. Her bail was set at $1,000 and she is forbidden from entering any Citizens Bank locations or contacting any witnesses, court records show. She pleaded not guilty in Middlesex Superior Court on Wednesday, records show. Representation for Moscat did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Suazo was arraigned on one count of larceny, one court of embezzlement by a bank employee, one count of conspiracy to commit larceny, and one count of attempted larceny. She was released on personal recognizance, records show. The court stipulated she is also forbidden from having contact with any Citizens Bank or witnesses. She entered a not guilty plea, records show. Suazo’s lawyers did not immediately return a request for comment.

Morales is due in court on Dec. 12 for her arraignment, Ryan’s office said.