A former Arkansas bank employee who admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from customers will spend the next three years in federal prison.
Jonathan D. Ross announced that 59-year-old Laura Parrish of Pine Bluff received a 36-month federal prison sentence for bank theft. Brian S. Miller handed down the sentence in federal court.
Federal prosecutors filed an Information against Parrish on Dec. 4, 2025, charging her with one count of bank theft. She pleaded guilty to the charge that same day. In addition to her prison sentence, Judge Miller ordered Parrish to serve three years of supervised release after completing her sentence. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
Investigators determined that Parrish worked for a local bank from November 2016 through January 2024 and used customer funds to pay her personal credit cards and transfer money into her outside online financial accounts.
Authorities also found that Parrish opened personal credit cards using other people’s identities and then used bank customers’ accounts to make payments on those cards.
According to investigators, Parrish embezzled about $364,000 from one family between Aug. 31, 2021, and April 18, 2023, including funds belonging to a deceased family member. Prosecutors said she used the stolen money to pay personal credit cards and loans that benefited herself, her business Southern Roots and Blooms, and accounts connected to her husband, daughter, and other relatives.
Court records state that on Jan. 24, 2023, Parrish applied for a retail credit card using a bank customer’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number. She allegedly listed her own address and phone number on the application and made about $15,000 in payments on the card between February 2023 and January 2024.
That customer died in March 2023, but investigators said Parrish continued stealing money from the account afterward.
Authorities said Parrish embezzled approximately $413,871.40 from eight bank customers between July 2021 and January 2024.
“This individual abused a position of trust to steal from hardworking Arkansans, including some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said Jason Van Goor. “The FBI will continue working with our partners to hold fraudsters accountable and pursue justice for victims.”
“Laura Parrish abused her bank position to embezzle funds from innocent customers for her own benefit and has now been brought to justice,” said John T. Perez. “This sentence should serve as a warning that we will aggressively pursue bank insiders who defraud financial institutions regulated and supervised by the Federal Reserve Board. We are proud to have worked alongside our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to secure this outcome.”
“It is especially troubling when bank employees abuse positions of trust to target unsuspecting customers, as happened in Ms. Parrish’s case,” said Jeff Thomson. “The FDIC OIG will continue working with our partners to ensure those who steal for personal gain are held accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross said Parrish exploited her position at the bank to steal money that did not belong to her, causing major harm to both the bank and vulnerable customers affected by the theft.
“Our office will continue partnering with law enforcement agencies to ensure employees like Parrish who violate their fiduciary responsibilities are held accountable for criminal acts that significantly impact banks and their customers,” Ross said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with assistance from the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, along with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General.