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Former Home Savings Bank branch manager Reagan France pleaded guilty to federal charges after admitting to a scheme that took approximately $335,000 from more than 20 customer accounts. The former Bromley City Council member admitted to bank fraud, theft by a bank employee and aggravated identity theft. Federal prosecutors said the scheme involved unauthorized withdrawals, forged documents and the use of other employees’ credentials.
Former Northern Kentucky bank manager has pleaded guilty in a bank fraud case involving about $335,000 taken from customer accounts.
The bank fraud case involves more than 20 customer accounts, including accounts held by two Northern Kentucky nonprofit organizations where France volunteered.
Reagan France, a former bank manager has admitted stealing approximately $335,000 from customers while using her position at a Ludlow bank to conduct unauthorized transactions.
France, who is 36 years old, pleaded guilty on Thursday, Sept. 10, in the U.S. District Court in Covington to federal charges of bank fraud, theft by a bank employee and aggravated identity theft.
WCPO reported that France entered the guilty plea after prosecutors accused her of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from more than 20 customer accounts.
France worked as the branch manager at Home Savings Bank in Ludlow. According to federal prosecutors, the scheme occurred from at least 2022 through 2024 and also involved accounts belonging to two nonprofit organizations where France volunteered.
The case marks the latest development in a federal investigation that began after the bank identified unauthorized transactions involving customer accounts.
Bank fraud scheme involved customer accounts
Prosecutors said France used her position at Home Savings Bank to access customer accounts and conduct transactions without authorization.
She allegedly used other bank employees’ credentials and forged cash withdrawal slips to make unauthorized withdrawals appear legitimate. Federal prosecutors said the transactions allowed France to move money out of customer accounts while concealing the activity.
Court documents also describe a separate method involving escrow refund checks.
According to the documents, France allegedly stopped payments on some checks owed to customers after mortgage-related transactions. She then issued replacement checks for smaller amounts and used the difference to help cover previous unauthorized withdrawals involving other customers.
Prosecutors said France used multiple bank teller identification numbers as part of the scheme.
Earlier reporting from LINK nky described more than 100 unauthorized transactions identified in the federal indictment. The March indictment initially documented at least $21,000 in transactions tied to specific customers, while later investigative findings placed the overall loss at more than $300,000.
The latest figure of approximately $335,000 comes from the federal case as France entered her guilty plea.
Investigation expanded after indictment
Federal prosecutors indicted France in March on 22 counts related to financial crimes.
At the time, the indictment alleged that France made more than 100 unauthorized transactions involving customer accounts. The charges included bank fraud, theft by a bank employee and aggravated identity theft.
France initially pleaded not guilty after her indictment and appeared in federal court in March.
Banking Dive reported that France worked at Home Savings Bank from 2015 to 2024 and became a branch manager in 2023. The outlet also reported that investigators had identified losses exceeding $300,000, although the original indictment did not state the entire amount allegedly taken.
France later reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
The agreement resolved the case through her guilty pleas to three federal offenses. Prosecutors agreed to seek dismissal of the remaining charges at sentencing, according to the plea agreement filed in federal court.
The case demonstrates how the alleged conduct developed over several years, beginning before France became branch manager.
According to earlier court documents, she started working for Home Savings Bank as a teller in 2015. She became manager of the Ludlow branch in 2023, giving her greater access to customer accounts and bank systems.
France previously served on Bromley City Council
France also has a political background in Northern Kentucky.
She served as a member of the Bromley City Council before leaving local government. WCPO previously reported that France won her first council election in 2020 by a single vote.
Bromley is located in Kenton County, near Ludlow and other communities along the Ohio River.
The connection between France’s public service and her banking career drew attention when federal charges became public in March.
City records also show France was sworn into the Bromley City Council in December 2020.
Her council service was separate from the alleged bank transactions described in the federal case.
France ultimately left the Home Savings Bank. WCPO reported that she resigned at the end of 2024, after nearly a decade with the institution.
Home Savings Bank has previously said affected customers were reimbursed and that the bank cooperated with investigators.
In a statement reported by WCPO, Home Savings Bank President Stephanie Berry said the institution takes customer trust and security seriously and expressed regret over the incidents.
Plea includes identity theft charge
France’s guilty plea includes an aggravated identity theft charge, which carries significant federal sentencing consequences.
The charge stems from the alleged use of identifying information or credentials in connection with the financial offenses. Prosecutors said France used other employees’ banking credentials while conducting unauthorized transactions.
The plea also covers theft by a bank employee, reflecting France’s position at Home Savings Bank when the alleged conduct occurred.
Federal prosecutors described the scheme as an abuse of access that France received through her employment at the bank.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman also addressed the guilty plea. WCPO reported that Coleman said accountability was necessary when a bank employee entrusted with protecting customers’ money instead used her position to steal from them.
The Kentucky Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations led the investigation, according to WCPO. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
France faces sentencing in January
France has not yet been sentenced.
Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2027, in the U.S. District Court in Covington, according to WCPO.
The guilty plea means the case has moved from the indictment stage to sentencing. The court will determine the final punishment after considering the federal sentencing guidelines and other applicable factors.
France also agreed to restitution as part of the resolution of the case. WCPO reported that prosecutors said she was ordered to pay restitution as part of the guilty plea.
The final sentence will determine how the remaining charges addressed in the plea agreement are handled.
The case also remains relevant to customers and financial institutions across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky because it involved alleged misuse of employee access to customer accounts.
The latest court development is that France has admitted guilt to three federal charges. Her sentencing in January will determine the next major step in the case.
FAQs
Who is Reagan France?
Reagan France is a former branch manager at Home Savings Bank in Ludlow, Kentucky. She also previously served on the Bromley City Council.
How much money did France admit to stealing?
France admitted to taking approximately $335,000 from customer accounts. Prosecutors said the scheme affected more than 20 customer accounts and included accounts belonging to two local nonprofit organizations.
What charges did France plead guilty to?
France pleaded guilty to bank fraud, theft by a bank employee and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors agreed to seek dismissal of the remaining charges at sentencing under the plea agreement.
When will Reagan France be sentenced?
France’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2027, in U.S. District Court in Covington. The court will determine her final sentence at that hearing.
