Cops and Courts, Featured, News

Former Monongalia County Clear Mountain Bank branch manager admits to bank fraud

MORGANTOWN — The Taylor County woman charged in April with embezzling more than $230,000 has pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

Karen Kinsley, 46, of Grafton, will face up to 30 years in prison when sentenced. She admitted to originating loans in bank customers’ names without their consent or knowledge, re-opening closed checking and savings accounts without customer knowledge, and using some of the loan proceeds for personal use and some for payments on other fraudulent loans.

Kinsley was a manager at Clear Mountain Bank’s branch inside the Sabraton Kroger in Morgantown.

Each victim’s personally identifiable information and credit history were used to satisfy loan requirements, totaling about $232,500, WAJR reported in April.

The incidents in question occurred between June 2014 and September 2017.

The government is seeking a monetary judgment in the amount of $170,219.19. Kinsley faces a potential fine of up to $1,000,000.