Diamond Hamilton, Bank Fraud and Identity Theft, Florida 2021

A Tampa credit union employee has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for bank fraud and identity theft.

U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday handed down the sentence to Diamond Hamilton (23, Tampa) on February 17, 2021, after she pleaded guilty to the charges.

According to court documents, Hamilton was an employee of Credit Union 1 in Tampa. In 2019, she and others engaged in a scheme to defraud the credit union by fraudulently obtaining money under the credit union's control.

To accomplish the scheme, Hamilton accessed bank account information of the Credit Union 1 victim account holders without their knowledge or permission and added email addresses controlled by other conspirators in the scheme. She also added and/or changed online passwords associated with the victims' accounts, then caused funds to be transferred from the victim account holders' bank accounts to accounts controlled by her and other co-conspirators.

Afterwards, the funds were subsequently withdrawn and shared amongst the conspirators.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

Hamilton, a resident of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for her role in the scheme.

The case highlights the importance of vigilance in the financial industry and the need for employees to uphold the highest standards of integrity.

A credit union employee's breach of trust can have far-reaching consequences, impacting not only the institution but also its customers and the community at large.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/tampa-credit-union-employee-sentenced-bank-fraud-and-identity-theft