Tell City Man Gets Prison for Bank Theft in Evansville

A former Evansville, Indiana banker has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison after admitting to stealing more than $158,000 from customer accounts.

Background on the Case

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, 32-year-old Dekoda Scott Clark of Tell City pleaded guilty to charges of bank theft and access device fraud. In addition to prison time, Clark will serve three years of supervised release and must pay full restitution to the bank.

Court records show that between January 2023 and March 2024, Clark worked as a Relationship Banker at a local branch, where he used his position to make unauthorized cash withdrawals and create fraudulent debit cards tied to accounts belonging to five individuals and two businesses.

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How Clark Stole From Customers

He used the fraudulent cards to make more than a dozen purchases totaling over $15,000 at retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Guitar Center, and Best Buy. Items bought included multiple Apple devices, and televisions. Clark even used the cards to make a $2,000 deposit to an online sports betting site.

Luxury Purchases and Unauthorized Withdrawals

Investigators also determined Clark withdrew $142,500 in unauthorized cash from customer accounts. In total, he stole approximately $158,208.53 from his victims.

READ MORE: Evansville Contactor Charged With Altering Checks of Elderly Customer

Federal Investigation and Sentencing

Instead of serving his bank’s customers, Dekoda Clark lavishly served himself by illegally taking their money to pay for video game systems and other expensive tech gadgets,” said Ike Barnes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to safeguarding the nation’s financial infrastructure and pursuing this type of malfeasance. I am proud of our work in this case, and I want to thank the FBI, Evansville Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Indiana for their efforts in bringing justice to this defendant.

Impact on Victims and Community Trust

Federal authorities emphasized that Clark’s crimes represented a betrayal of trust, harming both victims and confidence in the banking system. The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Evansville Police Department, and the sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

[SOURCE: Justice.gov]