The former manager of Brookfield’s First National Bank branch has been accused by police of stealing more than $150,000 from customers.
Zachary M. Reed, 31, of Niles, has been charged with 11 counts of theft and one count of forgery. He was arraigned in Trumbull County Eastern District Court on April 16 and faces a preliminary hearing April 23.
Brookfield police were first contacted on Feb. 25 by a bank official, who reported that Reed had stolen more than $37,000 from customer certificates of deposit. The official passed on documentation to Brookfield police and said the bank was continuing an internal investigation. On April 7, the official reported that Reed had stolen $155,410 and provided withdrawal and cash-out slips that had been made on customer accounts, police said. Reed had signed the customer’s name on one of the withdrawal slips, police said.
The bank identified 37 fraudulent transactions from 12 accounts, the transactions ranging from $1,300 to $9,410, police said. The thefts occurred between May 23, 2025, and Jan. 23, the day Reed was fired from the bank, police said. Customers signed affidavits stating certain transactions on their accounts were fraudulent, and got their money back.
The bank also provided videos that appeared to show Reed pocketing bundles of cash, police said.
Police obtained arrest warrants on April 13.
