Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud After Stealing More than $213K From Employer

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Published March 10, 2022

Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud After Stealing More than $213K From Employer

A Louisiana man has pleaded guilty to bank fraud after reportedly stealing more than $213,000 from an employer.

Louisiana – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Rodney Roussell (“Roussell”), age 40, of Belle Rose, Louisiana, pled guilty today to bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344(2).

According to court documents, the case against Roussell began with a complaint to the FBI from a local company (“Company A”). According to the bill of information, Roussell started working for Company A in August of 2017. Company A’s operational headquarters remained in New Orleans, Louisiana. JPMorgan Chase Bank (“Chase Bank”) held a business account for Company A. Roussell’s salary payments from Company A were made electronically and drawn on Company A’s account.

Roussell, as an employee of Company A, had no access to Company A’s Chase Bank account and was not authorized to make any payments from the account. Roussell used Chase Bank’s web portal and mobile banking app to transfer money from Company A’s account to pay the balance on Roussell’s personal bank card beginning in or around April 2018 and ending in or around June 2018. Roussell obtained a total of $213,372.05 from Company A’s Chase Bank account.

Under Title 18, United States Code, Section 3571, Roussell faces a maximum sentence of thirty (30) years in prison, followed by up to five (5) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00 or the greater of twice the defendant’s gross gain or twice the defendant’s gross loss to any person, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The sentencing hearing in this case is set for June 14, 2022, before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry.

The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its assistance in this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige O’Hale are prosecuting this case.