In Brief: 3 Former BT Execs Indicted on Felony Charges

Three former top executives of Bankers Trust Co. have been indicted on felony charges accusing them of robbing unclaimed client funds and diverting them to the bank's own coffers to boost their department's financial performance.

B.J. Kingdon, a former Bankers Trust managing director who headed the department that allegedly stole clients' money, and former executives Kenneth Goglia and Harvey Plante were charged in federal court in Manhattan with conspiracy, misapplication of bank funds, and making false entries in the bank's books and records.

Mr. Kingdon's 4,500-person department provided trust, custodial, and agent functions to process securities transactions for customers of Bankers Trust and other firms.

The three men allegedly concealed the diversion from the bank's own senior management and from banking regulators by bypassing Bankers Trust's internal controls from 1993 to 1996.

The Securities and Exchange Commission also charged the three men in a civil complaint that made similar accusations. The Federal Reserve Board said it is seeking to bar the three from the banking industry.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER