Methuen Man Who Served as Bank Branch Manager Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $560,000

U.S. District Court, Concord, N.H. (File photograph.)

A 41-year-old Methuen man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to using his position as a Salem, N.H., bank branch manager to commit fraud.

Kazi Pervez, a branch manager at Santander Bank, used his position to steal or attempt to steal more than $560,000, according to Acting New Hampshire U.S. Attorney John J. Farley. For example, the U.S. Attorney’s office said, Pervez opened or instructed bank employees to open accounts in the name of deceased bank customers and then withdrew money. He also used his authority to authorize overdrafts from those accounts. Pervez also identified inactive bank accounts of deceased bank customers and transferred money to other accounts that he controlled.

“White collar criminals can sometimes steal large sums of money from multiple victims with a few keystrokes on a computer,” said Farley. He said his office continues to work with the U.S. Secret Service and police to identify those who commit bank fraud.

The thefts took place from at least April of 2016 to September of 2017.

Records show Pervez sometimes transferred the stolen or overdrawn money directly to accounts at other banks that he controlled or to pay his bills. Other times, he transferred the funds between several accounts in the bank that he controlled before transferring the money to accounts at other banks or to pay his bills.

Pervez is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5.

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