RALEIGH�United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that Roger Van Santvoord Camp, 68, pled guilty last week to a six-count indictment charging him with four counts of bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344(2), and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A.
At his arraignment on April 11, 2012, Camp pled not guilty, and the matter proceeded to jury trial before United States District Court Judge Terrence W. Boyle, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. At the close of the government presenting its case, Camp pled guilty to all six counts of the indictment.
The investigation uncovered a scheme in which Camp defrauded three North Carolina banks and attempted to defraud an additional bank. Camp perpetuated the scheme by submitting falsified documents and documents with forged signatures, in connection with a $3,800,000 commercial mortgage from Key Source Bank, a $2,000,000 construction loan from Capital Bank, and a $150,000 commercial line of credit from North State Bank. Camp also attempted to defraud TrustAtlantic Bank out of $500,000 by submitting falsified documents in connection with an application for a commercial line of credit.
Camp was the owner and manager of FEC Partners LLC, a company that he established for purposes of opening Z-Bowl, a bowling alley and family entertainment center in Mebane, North Carolina. The site selected by Camp for the proposed bowling alley and family entertainment center was located in a building that was part of a strip mall. The site had been used as a retail outlet in the past, and consequently, extensive interior renovations were required to convert and reconfigure the space from a retail outlet to a bowling alley. The costs of this proposed renovation were extensive, and Camp did not have sufficient cash available. Camp sought financing from a high net worth individual, who declined to invest in or finance Camp’s bowling alley project.
Knowing that Key Source Bank, Capital Bank, and TrustAtlantic Bank would not approve his commercial loan applications without a guarantor who had substantial financial assets, Camp submitted forged and falsified documents purporting to show that the high net worth individual had agreed to serve as the personal guarantor of the Key Source and Capital Banks loans. Some of these documents included forged signatures and notarizations. Another document purported to be a detailed financial statement of the high net worth individual. In fact, the document contained information that had been completely fabricated. With respect to North State Bank, Camp submitted a false and fraudulent account statement from a wealth management firm purporting to show substantial liquid assets, which he submitted as collateral for the $150,000 commercial line of credit.
The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years’ imprisonment on each count, followed by five years of supervised release. The maximum penalty for aggravated identity theft is a mandatory sentence of two years. Sentencing is set for July 23, 2012.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Evan Rikhye and Banumathi Rangarajan represented the government in this prosecution.
