Arkansas Bank Employee Allegedly Stole Nearly $250k From Customers' Accounts: 'I Knew They Wouldn't Need the Money'

An Arkansas bank employee was arrested after allegedly stealing nearly $250,000 from multiple customer accounts, claiming in a written statement that she took the money from people she believed "wouldn't need it."

The investigation into Heather Pankey, a former employee at First National Bank of Commerce in Pocahontas, Arkansas, began after a suspicious transaction on a deceased customer's account failed to post, KAIT8 reported.

This irregularity led bank officials to flag the activity and launch an internal review. Court documents obtained by the station revealed that Pankey reportedly used another employee's login credentials—without their permission—to access and manipulate multiple customer accounts.

Investigators allege she transferred funds from at least eight customer accounts into a joint account she held with her grandmother. In total, authorities say Pankey misappropriated more than $241,900 and used a "shell game" of moving money between accounts to cover her tracks.

Pankey allegedly admitted to "borrowing" money from customers she "knew wouldn't need the money at the time," in a court statement obtained by the outlet. She now faces multiple felony charges, including theft of property, forgery, financial identity fraud and computer fraud.

Pankey was arrested by Pocahontas police April 23 and is currently being held at the Randolph County Detention Center. Authorities have not yet disclosed whether any of the stolen funds have been recovered or whether additional victims may be identified as the investigation continues.