A Missouri banker has been caught stealing millions of dollars from customers’ accounts over a 15-year period.
A Long Con
Megan Lea Dougherty, 36, admitted to defrauding over a dozen customers of Exchange Bank of Missouri. She started her scheme in 2009 and continued until 2023, quietly transferring small amounts of money from customer accounts to her own.
A Clever Criminal
Dougherty used several tricks to avoid detection. She moved stolen funds to her family’s accounts, switched between different customer accounts to steal from, and even used money from one account to cover up thefts from another. To hide her tracks, she falsified records in the bank’s computer system.
Caught Red-Handed
When the bank finally discovered the theft, Dougherty was actively stealing from seven customers, some of whom had multiple accounts affected. Prosecutors say even more customers were victims, but Dougherty reimbursed them when she moved on to new targets.
Facing the Music
Dougherty faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison without parole. She also has to forfeit nine parcels of land in Missouri and pay back the stolen $2.393 million.
