United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced that Kimberly O. McAbee of Woodruff, S.C., has been sentenced in federal court in Greenville, S.C., for embezzling bank funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656. Senior United States District Judge G. Ross Anderson Jr. sentenced McAbee to 24 months' imprisonment. Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that from 1988 until December 2009, McAbee worked at Arthur State Bank in Woodruff, S.C.

Starting in about November 2006 and continuing into December 2009, McAbee embezzled approximately $520,000 through the manipulation of home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and mortgage loans held by family members and friends at Arthur State Bank. In an effort to hide her activities, McAbee accessed the bank’s expense and Freddie Mac accounts to move funds around to conceal the theft.

McAbee’s activities were discovered on Dec. 24, 2009, by her supervisor and reported to law enforcement. The FBI investigated the matter and interviewed McAbee in February 2010. McAbee admitted to using her position with the bank to embezzle funds. She expressed regret for her actions and claimed that she intended to pay the bank back all the money.

The case was investigated by agents of the Woodruff Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr. of the Greenville office handled the case.

For more information, visit http://columbia.fbi.gov.