Former Greenwood Bank Manager Gets Prison for Embezzlement

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney W. WALTER WILKINS stated today that Donna B. Beardsley, age 46, of Greenwood, was sentenced today in federal court in Spartanburg, for bank embezzlement, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656. United States District Judge Henry F. Floyd sentenced Beardsley to 18 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Evidence in the case which was presented at her guilty plea hearing on December 17, 2008, established that between April 2007 and July 2008, Beardsley, who was the branch manager at a location of Carolina First Bank in Greenwood, took more than $612,000.00, from various customers' accounts and spent the money for herself . When confronted by bank officials and agents of the U.S. Secret Service, Beardsley admitted her wrongdoing and confessed to embezzling the money which, among other things, she used to pay off credit cards, make home improvements, and purchase land. (The land has since been sold and the proceeds paid to the bank.)

Beardsley has repaid the bank about $210,000.00. Judge Floyd ordered that she repay the difference as part of a restitution order.

The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney William C. Lucius of the Greenville office handled the case.