Former East Providence Bank Employee Pleads To Stealing $125K From Customer With Dementia

PROVIDENCE, RI — A former Santander Bank employee from East Providence pleaded guilty to stealing more than $125,000 from a 78-year-old customer with dementia, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Carlos Bras, 41, pleaded to charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a media release.

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"According to court documents, Bras was employed by Santander Bank and had access to customer financial accounts," the release said.

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"Beginning in or about May 2023, Bras accessed the account of the 78-year-old victim, who resided in an assisted living facility and had a court-appointed conservator in Massachusetts," according to the release.

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"Bras admitted that he enabled online banking access to the victim’s account, ordered checks sent to addresses he controlled, and obtained a debit card for personal use," the release said. "He further admitted to conducting numerous unauthorized transactions, including transfers to his wife’s account, and multiple wire transfers to a bank account in Portugal."

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Bras' sentencing was for Sept. 15.

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