Two former Scotiabank managers were sentenced Thursday to prison terms after pleading guilty to a variety of fraud and money laundering charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The release, citing U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe and FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph Campbell, reported that District Court Chief Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Steven G. Gardner to 37 months in prison and Daniel Rogers to 35 months in prison for bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Gardner, 47, was the branch manager at Scotiabank at Havensight/Port of Sale Mall, and Rogers, 39, was the manager for Scotiabank’s Cross Border centralized retail collection unit, which is responsible for the care and maintenance of repossessed properties.
The court also sentenced the men to five years of supervised release. Gardner was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $331,000, and Rogers to pay restitution in the amount of $216,000. Both men also were ordered to pay a $400 special assessment.
On July 25 Gardner pleaded guilty in federal district court on St. Thomas to bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. According to documents filed in court, in November 2011, during a regularly scheduled bank audit, it was discovered that Gardner had been stealing money from the bank’s account under the guise of paying charges on delinquent customer loans.
According to the Department of Justice documents, Gardner would either make out checks payable to vendors who had previously performed "services" for the bank, or he would make the checks payable to cash, and when a check was made payable to a vendor, Gardner would either forge the signature or waive endorsement, and convert the funds for his personal use.
On July 31, Rogers pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. According to documents filed in court, during a regularly scheduled bank audit in November 2011, officials discovered Rogers had been stealing money from the bank’s account under the guise of paying for forced-place insurance, legal fees and property taxes on properties in foreclosure. Rogers was responsible for managing properties that had been foreclosed or were in the process of being foreclosed. He used the bank’s “endorsement waived” stamp to cash the fraudulent bank checks that he created to pay the add-on charges, and converted the money for his personal use, the court found in its ruling.
As part of their plea agreements, Gardner and Rogers agreed to forfeit properties to the United States. Gardner agreed to forfeit his retirement account in the amount of $115,000, three vehicles consisting of a 2008 Lexus LS460, a 2003 Nissan 350Z and a 2000 Lexus GS300. Gardner also agreed to forfeit a Palm Gardens condominium, as well as $17,000 in a savings account.
Rogers agreed to forfeit his retirement account in the amount of $32,000, and two vehicles consisting of a 2007 Toyota Tacoma and a 2003 Acura MDX. Rogers also agreed to forfeit his interest in a Skyline Drive Village condominium.
The case was investigated by the St. Thomas field office of the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nelson L. Jones.
