Lana Pothos, a 59-year-old, former Orange County-based bank manager, pleaded guilty to federal charges for stealing $1.2 million in savings from elderly customers by using one of their identities to fraudulently open bank accounts and have the stolen money transferred to other banks. This federal crime carries a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.

Bank Branch Manager Turned Con-Artist

Apparently, during the summer of 2020, Pothos and an accomplice began stealing the savings of two married senior citizens who were clients of the Bank of America branch in Yorba Linda, where she worked. To transfer money from the clients' accounts to her own, Pothos used one of the victim's personal identifiable information to create an online banking profile for the victim without their knowledge. After creating the account, she changed their mailing address and telephone number to the ones she used.

Once this happened, a Pothos conspirator opened a new bank account and email address in the victim's name. From July 2020 to October 2020, on seven different occasions, the defendant transferred $1,212,144 from the victim's accounts to an account at a different bank. Then the money was used for personal expenses.

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