Aiken Bank Officer Sentenced for Embezzlement and Tax Fraud

Columbia, SC - Carrie B. Caldwell, age 40, of Aiken, South Carolina, was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment for embezzlement by a bank officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 656 and filing false tax returns in violation of Title 26, United States Code Section 7206(1). According to information presented during her guilty plea and sentencing, Caldwell was a branch manager for Regions Bank in Aiken. During her employment, Caldwell embezzled more than $600,000.00 from the bank and used the funds to pay for travel, a boat, and other luxury items. Caldwell evaded detection by stealing money from dormant bank accounts. Additionally, Caldwell failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income to the Internal Revenue Service.

"The role of IRS, Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in embezzlement and fraud cases due to the complex financial transactions that must be unraveled," said Matthew D. Line, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Field Office. "Those who cheat taxpayers by hiding their income and abuse their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of others will be held accountable." The Internal Revenue Service, working cooperatively with the Aiken Police Department and the United States Secret Service, investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.

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