By Staff
LANSING - United States Attorney Margaret M. Chiara announced that Linda Willings, 36, of Niles was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David W. McKeague to 45 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering stemming from a scheme to defraud Sobieski Bank.
Philip J. Dobbins, 38, of Granger, Ind. was also sentenced to 51 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering arising from the scheme to defraud Sobieski Bank.
Both Willings and Dobbins pleaded guilty to the charges in October 2004, during the second week of an anticipated two month jury trial.
Willings 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. has previously been convicted of bank fraud in 1995 and, after his release from prison, executed a scheme to defraud Sobieski Bank. Dobbins, the proprietor of PJ's Tickets in South Bend, was the partner in Nekvasil, Jr.'s sham business.
Willings, Dobbins and the other defendants in this conspiracy who have already been sentenced were complicitous in Nekvasil, Jr.'s criminal conduct. 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 by the federal government in the Western District of Michigan.
As part of her sentence Willings in required to pay restitution in the amount of $327,500. Dobbins is required to pay restitution in the amount of $2.8 million.
The charges against Willings and Dobbins arose from an investigation by FBI Special Agent Roy Johnson, St. Joseph, and IRS Special Agent Barbara Lee, 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. Borgula.