US bank employee 'steals $133k from vault', poses with evidence on social media

Arlando Henderson flaunted his luxury lifestyle on social media.
Arlando Henderson flaunted his luxury lifestyle on social media. Photo credit: Facebook / Instagram

A bank employee in the US has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly stealing large amounts of cash from the bank's vault -  and posing with the evidence on social media.

Arlando Henderson, 29, is accused of stealing US$88,000 (NZ$133,211) in increments from a bank in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to a release from the United States Attorney's Office Western District of North Carolina. The bank has been identified as Wells Fargo by a number of media outlets.

Henderson then allegedly committed "a separate loan fraud" to purchase a 2019 Mercedes-Benz and flaunted "large stacks of cash" in since-deleted pictures shared to his Instagram and Facebook. 

He frequently posed with cash, expensive clothing and a Mercedes-Benz.
He frequently posed with cash, expensive clothing and a Mercedes-Benz. Photo credit: Instagram / Facebook

According to the Attorney's Office, a criminal indictment has been unsealed this week in federal court following Henderson's arrest by the FBI in San Diego, California on December 4. 

The indictment alleges that Henderson stole from the vault, which he could access as part of his employment, at least 18 times during 2019. 

"Henderson stole cash from deposits made by bank customers from the bank fault, and used the money to pay for personal expenses and to make a large cash down payment on a luxury vehicle," the indictment claims, according to the release.

"Henderson made a [US]$20,000 cash down payment on a 2019 Mercedes-Benz, and obtained a car loan for the remaining balance... by providing false information and falsified documents, including falsified bank statements."

He is also accused of destroying documents and making false entries in the bank's books to disguise the theft.

The 29-year-old has been charged with two counts of financial institution fraud, 19 counts of theft, embezzlement, misapplication and 12 counts of making false entries, which carry a maximum of 30 years in prison and a US$1 million fine, "per count". 

US bank employee 'steals $133k from vault', poses with evidence on social media
Photo credit: Facebook / Instagram

He is also charged with transactional money laundering, which carries a penalty of 10 years in prison and a [US]$250,000 fine.

According to CNN, a since-deleted Facebook post uploaded by Henderson claimed, "I make it look easy but this shyt really a process [sic]", alongside a photo of him clutching a wad of money.

A number of Instagram posts from September show Henderson posing alongside a white Mercedes-Benz.

He appeared in US District Court in Southern California earlier this month and is due back in court on December 17.