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METAIRIE BANK MANAGER, KAREN SORK, PLEADS GUILTY TO BANK THEFT
KAREN SORK, age 50, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana pleaded guilty as charged today in front of United States District Judge Susie Morgan to a Bill of Information charging her with bank theft relating to her unauthorized embezzlement of funds from her employer, announced United States Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, SORK was employed at a Whitney Bank branch in Metairie, Louisiana, from December 2008 to August 2009 as a Banking Officer and Manager. In that capacity, SORK had the combination to, and was able to access, the branch’s vault. She also had a “cash drawer” for times when she had to act as a teller. Between February 2009 and August 2009, SORK would regularly take cash from her “cash drawer” without authorization and use it for personal expenses. After taking cash from the “cash drawer,” SORK engaged in a process called “forced balancing,” whereby she misstated the amount of money remaining in her drawer on the balance sheet that she had to complete at the end of each shift. SORK deposited the money she stole into one of two Whitney Bank personal checking accounts under her control. In total, SORK stole approximately $56,299.29.
Sentencing has been scheduled on October 10, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. SORK faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a $250,0000 fine, restitution, and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg.