June 30, 2010

FORMER FDIC EMPLOYEE FINED FOR LEAKING FINANCIAL DATA

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Merikay Wootton, 63, Lenexa, Kan., has been sentenced to 24 months probation and fined $3,600 for disclosing confidential information while she was an employee of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today.

Wootton pleaded guilty to unlawfully disclosing confidential information from a government agency. In her plea, she admitted she was working as a loan officer for Columbian Bank and Trust of Overland Park, Kan., when the bank failed and was placed in receivership with the FDIC on Aug. 22, 2008. Wootton was then employed by the FDIC’s Division of Resolutions and Receiverships to assist with bank closing activities at Columbian Bank and Trust. She had access to confidential financial records of the FDIC and personal information, including borrowers’ income tax returns. While doing that job, she disclosed confidential information from the FDIC, as well as the identity and amount of income of a person with outstanding loans at Columbian. She also unlawfully disclosed the borrower’s tax return.

Welch commended the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Secret Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask for their work on the case.