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Contact: Jim Cross
PHONE: 316-269-6481
FAX: 316-269-6420

July 18, 2007

TOPEKA WOMAN SENTENCED FOR EMBEZZLING FROM BANK

TOPEKA, KAN. – Ceandrea M. Tyson, 37, Topeka, was sentenced Tuesday to 27 months in federal prison for embezzlement.

Tyson pleaded guilty in April to one count of theft by a bank employee. In her plea, she admitted she embezzled approximately $355,000 while she was an employee of Commerce Bank and Trust of Topeka. While working at the downtown branch, 830 S. Kansas, she began taking money from the vault of the bank. She covered up the embezzlement by making false entries in the “blotter,” an internal document used to reconcile cash on hand in the value. The thefts took place from June 2002 to December 2006.

She is ordered to pay $366,750 in restitution.

U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.