Woman Pleads to Defrauding Webster Bank

A California woman who stole the identity of a customer of the Webster Bank branch in Barrington to withdraw thousands of dollars pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Sept. 21, in U.S. District Court in Providence.

Nancy Sherman, 42, pleaded to one count of bank fraud and attempted fraud and two counts of identity theft, according to U.S. Attorney Peter F Neronha. She reportedly withdrew $13,500 from the bank.

 “According to court records and information presented to the Court, Sherman traveled to Rhode Island in early January 2011, and made an unauthorized withdrawal of $13,500 from a Webster Bank branch office in Barrington from an account she did not have authority to access,” according to a press release from Neronha’s office. “She provided the bank with a fraudulent Connecticut driver’s license which contained her picture and the stolen personal information of the account holder.”

Sherman also attempted to withdraw money from an account at a Pawtucket branch of Webster Bank using stolen personal information.

“The bank teller recognized Sherman from a photograph in a Webster Bank Fraud Alert Bulletin and notified Pawtucket Police, who took the defendant into custody at the bank,” according to the release. “Sherman has been detained since her arrest.”

Sherman will be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith on Dec. 22.

She could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison and could be fined up to $1 million on each of the bank fraud charges, according to the press release. On the charges of identity theft, she could face up to 20 years in prison and be fined $500,000.