Wells Fargo Employee Charged with Swindling Bank Customers

An Eagan man has been accused of using his position at an Apple Valley bank to steal three customers identities. 

Raymond Baba Atimbaneme, 39, is charged with theft by swindle and identity theft, both felonies punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and $100,000 in fines. 

On July 15, the Apple Valley Police Department received report of an employee theft from a branch of the Wells Fargo Bank. A senior investigator for the bank reported that she conducted an investigation revealing that a bank employee, Atimbaneme, had applied for three separate loans using the identities of current Wells Fargo customers without their permission. Each loan was for $20,000, amounting to an aggregate sum of $60,000. 

In each case, Atimbaneme allegedly forged the signature of the bank customer on a loan agreement, then issued a check from the customers account to one if his shell businesses—"American Investments Consortium Incorporated" and "Agape Relief Network Incorporated." The checks were cashed at Wells Fargo's rival, TCF Bank. It was determined that the signer was Atimbaneme. 

In interview with police, the defendant admitted that he had obtained three loans in customers' names and had cashed them for his own use. He said he had a business in which he purchased vehicles in the U.S. and shipped them to Africa and needed the money to pay for shipping. 

Atimbaneme made his first appearance on Wednesday. His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 6.