PHOENIX, Ariz. – A former bank employee who embezzled $655,000 from the bank she managed over the course of seven months was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Brooke McDonough, formerly known as Brooke Taylor, 35, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on June 10, 2026. A jury previously convicted McDonough of embezzlement by a bank employee, structuring, and transactional money laundering.
McDonough served as the branch manager of a Mesa bank, a position that afforded her broad authority over branch operations, employee assignments, and cash audits. Between June 2021 and February 2022, McDonough stole cash from the ATMs and vault inside the branch. She also manipulated monthly audits by entering inflated figures into the bank’s systems to conceal the increasing cash shortage. The scheme came to light only after McDonough resigned. The discovery of the theft triggered an internal investigation that caused three other bank employees to be placed on administrative leave.
A federal investigation revealed that McDonough deposited most of the cash she stole into her personal bank accounts. She used different ATMs at multiple bank branches breaking deposits into smaller amounts to avoid mandatory Currency Transaction Reports for deposits of over $10,000 in cash.
“Embezzlement is not a victimless crime,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “McDonough’s conduct caused real harm to her employer, to the integrity of the financial system, and to innocent co-workers whose careers were placed at risk by her actions. The sentence she received reflects the seriousness of that conduct.”
“The sentencing in this case serves as a stern warning to others who are considering victimizing financial institutions or financial consumers…you will be caught, and you will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “We are laser focused on protecting the Nation’s Financial System, and we were proud to work alongside the Mesa Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office to bring justice in this case.”
"This successful embezzlement prosecution reflects the strong investigative work of the Mesa Police Department and its partnership with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General,” said Mesa Police Chief Dan Butler. “Financial crime cases are often complex, requiring detailed analysis and coordination across jurisdictions. We commend the investigators and prosecutors whose dedication and professionalism led to this outcome. Their efforts demonstrate the importance of collaboration in holding offenders accountable and protecting the community from financial crime."
This case was investigated by the FDIC OIG and the Mesa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aron Ketchel and Adriana Genco, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-376
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-099_McDonough
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