White Gloves Bandit Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Four Counts of Bank Robbery

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; and Mary Galligan, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced that Michael McManus pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to committing four bank robberies on the Lower East Side of Manhattan earlier this year. McManus, who was arrested in April 2012—one day after his final robbery—pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.

According to the indictment and complaint filed in this case, statements made at court proceedings, and other court filings:

On January 26, 2012, the defendant robbed an HSBC Bank branch on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. On February 14, 2012, and again on March 12, 2012, McManus robbed a Citibank branch in the same neighborhood. On April 17, 2012, the defendant returned to the HSBC bank and committed a fourth and final robbery. During each of these robberies, McManus approached the bank teller wearing white gloves and dark sunglasses. He then produced what appeared to be a revolver and demanded money. The weapon was later determined to be a cap gun. Over the course of the four robberies, the defendant stole over $32,000.

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McManus, 43, of New York, New York, pled guilty to four counts of bank robbery and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each count. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Furman on December 13, 2012.

Mr. Bharara praised the investigative efforts of the FBI and the New York City Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Martin S. Bell is in charge of the prosecution.