A Saugus man has pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement and aggravated identity theft in a Boston federal court. Derek Aut, 28, admitted to stealing more than $180,000 from customer accounts while employed as a bank teller at a Boston branch of a national bank.
U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young has set a sentencing date for June 16, 2025. Aut was initially charged on December 18, 2024. The case details reveal that Aut forged withdrawal slips to transfer funds from the accounts of two bank customers. When one customer noticed missing funds, Aut attempted to conceal his actions by shifting money from a second victim's account to the first.
The embezzlement charge carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison, accompanied by five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Additionally, the aggravated identity theft charge includes a mandatory two-year prison sentence that must run consecutively with any other penalties.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney from the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit.
