A former bank employee from Rochester has been arrested and charged in a federal case involving the theft of nearly half a million dollars from customer accounts.
Damani Brown, 28, faces multiple federal charges including conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, computer fraud, and bank fraud. If convicted, he could receive up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The investigation began when a Rochester-area bank reported to the FBI that unauthorized access had been made to about 12 customer accounts over several weeks in July and August. Funds were transferred out of the accounts without authorization.
An internal review by the bank revealed that Brown, who was employed there at the time, had used his credentials to access the victims’ accounts. He allegedly reviewed details such as their Social Security numbers, member numbers, and online registration status.
Shortly after Brown accessed each account, a co-conspirator allegedly registered the customers’ online profiles and began transferring funds—totaling approximately $477,000—to third-party accounts. Of that amount, around $327,000 was either withdrawn in cash at local branches or funneled through CashApp.
Customers quickly began reporting the unauthorized activity, prompting further investigation. In January, the FBI obtained warrants to search Google accounts tied to the scheme. They found verification and notification emails from the bank, including one-time passcodes and alerts about changes made to the compromised accounts.
Brown is currently facing federal prosecution as authorities continue to investigate the full scope of the fraud.
