Posted on: Friday, January 21, 2005

Former teller pleads guilty to theft from Central Pacific

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A former Central Pacific Bank teller pleaded guilty yesterday to stealing $105,000 from bank customers last year.

Anne Li, 28, pleaded guilty in Circuit Court to one count each of first-degree theft, second-degree forgery and money laundering. Under a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, Li is expected to be placed on five years' probation when she is sentenced April 20 by Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario, said Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee.

Li, who agreed to waive indictment, also has repaid most of the money she admitted stealing, Lee said.

Li was a teller at CPB's Ke'eaumoku Street branch, where she took $5,000 from a customer's account on April 14, 2004, Lee said. About a week later, Li stole $105,000 from another account, deposited the money in the first customer's account and removed $100,000 a few days later, Lee said.

Lee said Li used the money to pay for living expenses and other bills. He said the first bank customer reported the suspicious transactions to the bank, which launched the investigation.

"What's notable is it's a teller," Lee said. "People place trust in the banks and you have a teller who has access to the information of the bank account holder and through this access she's making the transfer. That's the scary part."

Li declined comment yesterday and her attorney could not be reached for comment.

Lee said he's seen a "substantial rise" in fraud and embezzlement cases by employees. He said he believes tough economic times play a role in the increase, but he also said greed is a factor.

"It's a situation where a lot of trust has been placed in the employee and the employee takes the liberty to breach that trust," Lee said.

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8025.