Former Altoona city clerk sentenced to six months for bank fraud

A former Altoona city clerk on Tuesday received a six-month sentence for bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

She also will have to pay more than $47,000 in restitution to the city.

Chrystal Scherbarth, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

According to her plea, she admitted that the crime occurred while she was city clerk. “She used her access to the city’s accounts at the First Neodesha Bank to commit the crime,” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Her fraud involved diverting money from the city by raising her hourly pay, paying herself overtime and crediting herself with unearned paid vacation and unearned sick leave, the statement said.

The city of Altoona suffered a total loss of more than $47,800, Grissom’s office said.

This story was originally published April 7, 2015 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Former Altoona city clerk sentenced to six months for bank fraud."