Context:

Yeison Rodriguez Acosta, a New York City police officer and former Wells Fargo employee, was charged with stealing $87,000 from bank customers to fund personal expenses, including luxury car payments and a fitness program. His misconduct began during his tenure at Wells Fargo and continued through his police academy training and subsequent precinct assignment. The charges include nine counts of third-degree grand larceny and nine counts of first-degree identity theft. Rodriguez Acosta was arrested, arraigned, and released under conditions, with his police department employment suspended. Wells Fargo has confirmed his departure from the bank and is cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation.

Dive Deeper:

• Yeison Rodriguez Acosta, previously working as an operations coordinator at a Wells Fargo branch, exploited his role to access and misuse customer data, resulting in the theft of $87,243.81 from 14 different accounts, with individual thefts ranging from $333 to nearly $18,000.

• The stolen funds were used for various personal expenses, including payments for a BMW, a gluteus-building program called Booty by Jacks, credit card and insurance bills, travel to Aruba, and dining out at an Airbnb.

• Rodriguez Acosta's actions were discovered and he was charged with multiple felonies, including third-degree grand larceny and first-degree identity theft, reflecting the severity and premeditated nature of his offenses.

• Following his arrest, Rodriguez Acosta was released on the condition that he surrenders his passport and maintains daily contact with the court, pending his next appearance. His employment with the New York City Police Department has been suspended without pay.

• The case against Rodriguez Acosta arises amidst broader scrutiny within the police department, as efforts to dismiss 31 officers for previous undisclosed criminal records and misconduct are underway, with legal challenges from the officers' union delaying proceedings.

• Wells Fargo has confirmed that Rodriguez Acosta is no longer employed with them, and the bank is fully cooperating with law enforcement to address the criminal activities conducted by its former employee.

• The Booty by Jacks program, one of Rodriguez Acosta's reported expenses, is marketed as a premier fitness service with wide social media following, though the complaint does not clarify if he personally utilized this service or subscribed on behalf of others.