An out-of-state man was arrested for bank fraud in Florida, and law enforcement said this “will not be tolerated in the law-and-order State of Florida.”
FDLE’s investigation began when agents received information from the Perry Police Department that Keith Sanders, had falsified a loan application with Blue Coast Federal Credit Union for more than $198,000.
Sanders later defaulted on the loan.
Investigators found that, during the loan application process, Sanders falsely claimed he lived in Panama City and worked in Tallahassee. He also provided the credit union with a fraudulent title for a boat that does not exist.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested 46-year-old Keith Sanders, of Raleigh, North Carolina, on one count of grand theft, a first-degree felony, and one count of scheme to defraud a financial institution, a second-degree felony.
“Manipulating Florida’s financial institutions affects our citizens statewide. Scheming a loan program out of tens of thousands of dollars will not be tolerated in the law-and-order State of Florida,” said FDLE Tallahassee Special Agent in Charge Keith Wilmer. “In financial crime investigations, our agents and analysts work diligently and sift through countless financial documents to hold these individuals accountable.”
FDLE obtained an arrest warrant, and Sanders surrendered at the Taylor County Jail.
“The men and women of the Perry Police Department proudly worked with FDLE to bring Mr. Sanders to justice. We continue to work with our partners at FDLE and all law enforcement agencies to protect our citizens against individuals taking advantage of our financial assistance programs,” said Perry Police Chief Jamie Cruse.
The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation. The State Attorney’s Office of the Third Judicial Circuit is prosecuting the case.
The investigation remains active, according to law enforcement.
