Ex-Sky Bank employee accused of identity theft

The scheme involved setting up false bank accounts.

By TIM YOVICH

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

WARREN — An arrest warrant has been issued for a 28-year-old former Sky Bank employee who is charged with identity theft.

The warrant was obtain by Detective Wayne Mackey for Lee Ann Plunket, whose last known address was Canfield Road, Youngstown.

Mackey said that Plunkett, while working at the former Sky Bank call center on Main Street here, allegedly obtained customer identification information and passed it along to her boyfriend and others in 2006.

Sky merged with Huntington Bank in July 2007.

The scheme also involved the setting up of false bank accounts so money could be transferred from customers’ accounts to the false accounts, said Kasey Shidel, an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor who handled the original complaint.

At the call center, money is directed in and out of customer accounts.

Shidel said that after the money was transferred into the bogus accounts, the “runners” would withdraw the funds and close the accounts.

Warren police got involved, Mackey said, at the request of the Mahoning County prosecutor’s office. The charge was filed by Warren police because the center is in the city.

The prosecutor said one of those involved was indicted in Mahoning County. Information gathered from him led authorities to Plunkett.

The case was investigated internally by Grace Stacchiotti of Huntington corporate security, according to a report she filed Wednesday with Warren police.

The report said the thefts occurred between July 31 and Sept. 28, 2006.

Plunkett is cooperating in the investigation, Mackey said.

The number of bank clients and the amount of money involved is not determined, although the report said the initial value is $1,000.

Shidel said he knew of only “a handful of victims” in Mahoning County and did not know how much money was taken.

Huntington Bank had no other information on the case other than what is on the police report.