A former banker, accused of embezzling 236,000 euros from BCP ATM machines located at the Anadia Shopping Centre, was sentenced this afternoon by the Court of Funchal to a five-year suspended sentence. However, said the judge, you will have to attend a gambling addiction prevention programme and repay the money you embezzled.
The 51-year-old defendant was born in Lisbon but who has resided in Madeira for a long time, was accused by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of computer forgery and embezzlement. The crime was discovered in July 2018 through audit checks, and he was subsequently fired by the bank.
The trial began on the 12th of November 2024, where the defendant denied committing the crimes and assured those present that he had not kept the money. He further added that he had been persecuted and bullied by colleagues at the bank, a bank he had worked at for twenty years.
This all changed on the 11th of March this year after witnesses listed by the prosecution were heard. He then confessed to embezzling the money to support his online betting addiction. He further declared that his family knew nothing of his problems or that he had stolen the money. Concluding, he added that he regretted his behaviour.
This afternoon, in her summing up of the case, Judge Teresa de Sousa, gave as proven all the facts that were in the indictment and admitted that the suspension of the sentence is “an exceptional opportunity” granted to the defendant. The sentence takes into account a series of circumstances – the embezzlement was committed some time ago (seven years), only the bank was harmed, not their customers, the defendant no longer works for any banking organisation, he is working, he has the support of his family and that he both confessed to his crimes and showed regret for his actions.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
