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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that   RODNEY ROUSSELL (“ROUSSELL”), age 40, of Belle Rose, Louisiana, was charged on January 7, 2022 by a Bill of Information for Bank Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344(2).

The case against ROUSSELL began as a result of a complaint from a local company (“Company A”) to the FBI. According to the Bill of Information, in August, 2017, ROUSSELL began working for Company A. Company A maintained its operational headquarters in New Orleans, Louisiana. Company A maintained a business account with JPMorgan Chase Bank (“Chase Bank”). Company A’s salary payments to ROUSSELL were made electronically and drawn on Company A’s account.

If convicted, ROUSSELL faces a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, a term of supervised release of not more than five years, and a special assessment fee of $100.

As Company A’s employee, ROUSSELL did not have access to Company A’s Chase Bank Account, and was not authorized to make payments of any kind using funds in the account. Beginning in or about April 2018, and continuing until in or about June 2018, ROUSSELL utilized Chase Bank’s web portal and mobile banking app to transfer money from Company A’s account to pay the balance of ROUSSELL’s personal bank card.  In total, ROUSSELL obtained $213,372.05 from Company A’s Chase Bank account.

U.S. Attorney Evans stated that a Bill of Information is merely a charge and the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige O’Hale.