By Staff
LANSING - United States Attorney Margaret M. Chiara announced that Shellie Paskiet, 35 of Niles, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge David W. McKeague to 45 months incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding Wells Fargo Bank, and conspiracy to commit money laundering stemming from a scheme to defraud Sobieski Bank.
Paskiet pleaded guilty to the charges on Oct. 12, 2004, during the fifth day of the trial.
Paskiet is the former girlfriend of James Nekvasil, Jr. who was the ring-leader of a conspiracy to defraud several banks, most notably Sobieski Bank in South Bend, Ind. Nekvasil, Jr. had perviously been convicted of bank fraud in 1995, and, after his release from prison, executed a scheme to defraud Sobieski Bank. Paskiet and other defendants who will be sentenced in the next few weeks were complicitous in Nekvasil, Jr.'s plans. Nekvasil, Jr. and other co-conspirators used the ill-gotten gains to support their lavish lifestyle, buy expensive homes, cars, jewelry and trips.
As a result of the fraud, Sobieski Bank incurred a loss of approximately $9.6 million and was forced to sell its remaining assets to MFB Bank. The bank is recovering some of its losses through criminal and civil forfeiture actions filled by the federal government in the Western District of Michigan. As part of her sentence Paskiet is required to pay restitution in the amount of $523,862.75.
The charges against Shellie Paskiet, arose from an investigation by Special Agent Roy Johnson, of the Federal Bearu of Investigation, St. Joseph, and Special Agend Barbara Lee, Internal Revenue Service, Traverse City. This case was prosecuted on behalf of the United States of America by Assistant United States Attorneys Joan E. Meyer and Matthew G. Brogula.