Former Bank Employee Sentenced For Misapplying Customers' Funds

Lindi D. Vickers, aged 39, of Bartow, Georgia, was sentenced today to serve forty-six (46) months in prison and pay restitution in the amount of $273,420.59 for misapplying bank customers’ funds, according to a statement made by Acting United States Attorney G. F. “Pete” Peterman, III.  The sentence was handed down in Macon by the Honorable Leslie J. Abrams, United States District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia.

Ms. Vickers entered a guilty plea to one count of misapplication of funds by a bank employee.  The facts stipulated in court were that between December 2010 and August 2014, Ms. Vickers, using her position as an assistant manager at State Bank and Trust Company (“State Bank”) in Macon, Georgia, transferred funds totaling $263,700.00 from customer accounts on fifty-seven (57) separate occasions.  The transfers were made without the knowledge or permission of the bank customers to other accounts at State Bank under Ms. Vickers’ control, from which she could convert the money to her own use.  The count of conviction involved the transfer of $15,000 from a customer’s account by Ms. Vickers on August 15, 2014.  

As a result of this conviction, Ms. Vickers will be prohibited from employment by any federally insured financial institution except with the prior written consent of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

“This case involves an abuse of the trust placed in Ms. Vickers both by the bank for whom she worked as well as by the customers she was supposed to serve.  Her crime is made even more reprehensible by its deliberate and long term, repeated nature,” said Acting United States Attorney Peterman.                               

The case was investigated by the Macon Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Paul C. McCommon III prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government.                       

Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey at the United States Attorney’s Office at 478-621-2603.