Ex-FDIC Employee Guilty of Data Leak
Loan Officer Divulged Personal Info of Failed Bank's Customer A former employee of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) pled guilty on April 2 to leaking confidential customer information while she was working at an Overland Park, Kansas bank that had been taken over by the banking regulator.Merikay Wootton, 63, Lenexa, KS, pled guilty to disclosing confidential information while she was an employee of the FDIC. Wootton worked as a loan officer for Columbian Bank and Trust when the bank failed and was placed into FDIC receivership on August 22, 2008. Wootton was then hired as an employee by the FDIC's Division of Resolutions and Receiverships to assist with the bank's closing.
Wootton had access to confidential financial records of the FDIC and personal information, including borrowers' tax returns. While working in that job, she admitted she disclosed confidential information from the FDIC, including the identity and income amount of a person with outstanding loans at Columbian Bank and Trust, says U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch. Wootton also disclosed the borrower's tax return.
Sentencing has been set for July 1, 2010.