Melissa D. Huffman, Bank Embezzlement, Virginia 2023

A former senior vice-president at BB&T, who stole cash from bank vaults to which she had access through her employment with the bank, has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for embezzlement, officials announced yesterday.

Melissa D. Huffman, 47, of Roanoke, Va., previously pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a FDIC-insured bank. Huffman made full restitution to the bank in the amount of $31,850 as part of her plea agreement.

The crime spanned over two years, from 2014 to December 2016, during which Huffman worked as a senior vice-president and regional branch operations manager for BB&T in the Western District of Virginia.

As part of her official duties, Huffman had access to the vaults of BB&T’s banks throughout the Western District of Virginia. On several occasions, Huffman stole cash from the vaults she visited and caused the shortages to be attributed to subordinate employees at the banks.

The branches from which she stole cash included Boonsboro, Fort Hill, Martinsville, Tanglewood, Tazewell, and Warrenton.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.

Huffman’s sentencing took place in Abingdon, Virginia, on an unspecified date. Her 14-month prison term is the result of her guilty plea to the embezzlement charges.

BB&T, a financial institution with a presence in Virginia, is the victim of Huffman’s embezzlement scheme. The bank reported the missing funds, which totaled $31,850, to authorities.

Embezzlement from a FDIC-insured bank is a serious crime that can have severe consequences, including imprisonment and fines. In this case, Huffman has been held accountable for her actions, and the bank has been made whole through restitution.