Former bank manager charged with stealing $439k from elderly, deceased

MEDIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- A former Iron Workers bank employee is facing multiple charges for stealing more than $430,000 over a ten-year period from elderly bank customers and from the estates of the deceased, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan announced Wednesday.

60-year-old Catherine Allman of the 500 block of Walnut Lane in Philadelphia, is charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition, receiving stolen property, forgery-unauthorized act in writing, theft by deception, criminal use of communication facility, identity theft, and other theft related charges.

The theft was discovered in September 2014, when the branch manager of the Iron Workers Bank in Chadds Ford was contacted by an attorney regarding unusual activity involving the estate of one of their members who had died.

A transaction occurred on the deceased victim's account in August of 2014, after she had passed away in July.

After further investigation by the branch manager, she noticed that the customer's address had been changed to a P.O. BOX in Aston.

She recognized the P.O. BOX address as the same address as one of their long-time employees, Catherine Allman who was the branch manager at the Aston location.

On September 18th, the vice president of the Iron Workers Bank contacted Allman on the phone, who officials say admitted to taking the money from customers' accounts.

Officials say Allman stole money from eight different Iron Worker bank account holders, all elderly women, half of which are deceased.

In total, she made $439,019.17 in unauthorized withdrawals from victims' accounts.

Allman surrendered to authorities on June 15th.

She was arraigned and her bail was set at $100,000 unsecured.