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Former Bank Employee Jennifer Lamanna Sentenced to 15 Months for $280,000 Embezzlement and False Statement

Ex-banker Jennifer Lamanna sentenced to 15 months for embezzling $280K and making false statements.

November 14, 2025, 3:04 PM

The seal of the US Department of Justice placed on a bed of assorted US dollar banknotes.

A close-up of the official Department of Justice seal resting on a background of US dollar bills. By Mehaniq / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

Jennifer Lamanna was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for embezzling $280,000 from an FDIC-insured financial institution and making a false statement to a U.S. agency.

Lamanna systematically stole $280,000 from the bank vault and used fraudulent transactions, including unauthorized withdrawals and deposits from a customer’s account, to conceal her theft.

She submitted a materially false Currency Transaction Report (CTR) to FinCEN, falsely claiming a customer had deposited $160,100 in cash, which led to the false statement charge.

Laws and Precedent

Jennifer Lamanna was sentenced to federal prison for embezzling funds from an FDIC-insured financial institution, a crime prosecuted under federal statutes such as 18 U.S.C. § 656, which specifically addresses theft or embezzlement by bank officers or employees. She was also charged with making a false statement to a U.S. agency by submitting a fictitious Currency Transaction Report (CTR) to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), an act typically prosecuted under federal laws like 18 U.S.C. § 1001, concerning false statements to federal authorities, and statutes related to the Bank Secrecy Act’s financial reporting requirements.

Jennifer Lamanna, a 49-year-old former bank employee from Venice, Florida, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison on November 14, 2025, for embezzling $280,000 from an FDIC-insured financial institution and making a false statement to a U.S. agency. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle issued the sentence in Tampa, following Lamanna’s guilty plea on July 21, 2025.

Case Details

According to court documents, Lamanna systematically embezzled funds from the bank vault over several months. She stole $280,000 and subsequently deposited the majority of these funds into a bank account under her personal control.

To conceal her theft and balance the vault, Lamanna engaged in a series of fraudulent transactions. She made multiple large withdrawals and matching deposits from a customer’s account without their knowledge.

Further, Lamanna filed fictitious Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) to make these sham transactions appear legitimate. This was an attempt to disguise the missing funds and avoid detection.

False Statement to FinCEN

The false statement charge stems from a specific incident on June 8, 2023, when Lamanna submitted a materially false CTR to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a sub-agency of the U.S. Treasury Department.

In this report, she falsely claimed that a bank customer had deposited $160,100 in cash into his account, knowing full well that no such deposit had occurred. This action directly contributed to the charges against her.

Investigation and Prosecution

The case was thoroughly investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). These agencies collaborated to uncover the extent of Lamanna’s illicit activities.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor was responsible for prosecuting the case, bringing the charges against Lamanna to a successful resolution.

Final Outcome

Lamanna’s sentencing underscores the serious consequences for financial crimes committed by those in positions of trust within the banking industry. Her actions resulted in a significant prison term for both embezzlement and attempting to mislead federal authorities.