Iowa City woman arrested after bank, credit union thefts

NORTH LIBERTY - An Iowa City woman is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from North Liberty financial institutions via a series of bogus transactions.

According to North Liberty police criminal complaints, in October 2016, Amphai S. Ranslem, 35, electronically transferred $4,000 from her U.S. Bank account to her Hills Bank account and withdrew the $4,000 from her Hills Bank account the same day. However, authorities said the transfer was flagged for 'non-sufficient funds.”

Police said Ranslem repeated the scheme on two other days, making transfers of $4,000, $8,000 and $10,000 and withdrawing a total of $21,000. Each of the transfers were flagged for insufficient funds.

Ranslem called to cancel her Hills Bank account on Oct. 27, police said. An officer spoke with her and she claimed the deposits were 'health insurance related” and said she would address the issue with Hills Bank. However, police said Ranslem never contacted Hills Bank.

Ranslem is accused of repeating the scheme at the University of Iowa Community Credit Union in November 2016. Police said Ranslem made $30,000 worth of deposits from U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo accounts into her UICCU account and then withdrew the $30,000.

Ranslem was arrested on Thursday and faces two counts of first-degree theft, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com