Washington Federal Bank for Savings collapse sees another former employee charged

Washington Federal Bank for Savings, 2869 S. Archer Ave., before it was shut down in December 2017 for “unsafe or unsound practices” days after CEO John F. Gembara was found dead at a bank customer’s home in what authorities called a suicide. (Google Street View)

The failure of Washington Federal Bank for Savings has resulted in criminal charges against another former employee of the tiny Bridgeport bank with ties to the Daley family and its political organization.

Brian Fong, who ran the bank’s main office on Archer Avenue, is the 15th person and sixth former employee charged with falsifying bank records and obstructing bank regulators as part of an embezzlement scheme authorities say was led by John F. Gembara, the bank’s late president and chief executive officer.