Misappropriation of bank funds in a way or another. For example, a bank teller may fraudulently abstract money from a drawer for personal use. Abstraction also occurs when a bank employee credits an account with money taken (debited) from another account without any authorization or instruction.

This could also refer to illegal diversion of funds held in trust by a fiduciary, or embezzlement of funds usually by public officials or officers of corporations.

Abstraction is also known as defalcation.