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GoogleRonald Frank Bell of Shelbyville waived indictment and arraignment and pleaded guilty to making a false entry in bank records in violation of Title 18 United States Code Section 1005.
He appeared before Magistrate Judge Susan K. Lee in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Chattanooga.
The maximum penalty for the offense is a fine of $1 million and 30 years imprisonment, according to the federal plea agreement.
Sentencing for Bell is set for Jan. 21, 2010.
The charge against Bell stems from a joint investigation by Detective Brian Farris of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department and FBI Special Agent Richard Poff.
According to the plea agreement, Bell "is pleading guilty because the defendant is in fact guilty."
The plea agreement stated that Bell was the loan officer for Regions Bank in Shelbyville and that he made a $3 million dollar loan to Charles Coffey on May 15, 2005.
On or about June 2, 2006, the loan was up for renewal and according to federal documents, "Knowing he did not have Coffey's permission, the defendant (Bell) directed a subordinate to prepare a loan extension agreement and directed her to sign Coffey's name."
Bell thereby intended to deceive the bank, the plea agreement reads.
Sheriff Randall Boyce said that his department, "in conjunction with the FBI, is committed to investigating and prosecuting white collar crimes to the fullest extent of the law.
"This crime is made worse by the fact that it involves a manager of a financial institution and by the sheer dollar amount involved," Boyce said.
Farris said he was made aware of the case by Boyce and asked to investigate, but was unable to elaborate on the details further.
Bell was named city president for FirstBank in Shelbyville in August 2008, replacing the late Scott McDonald.
He was previously vice president/business banking relationship manager at Regions Bank in Shelbyville and had worked in the financial industry for more than 37 years, according to a press release from FirstBank last year.
Officials at FirstBank in Shelbyville had no comment about the matter when reached on Wednesday. Coffey could not be reached for comment.
The plea agreement also states that Bell agrees to consent to an order of "Prohibition From Further Participation" with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), meaning that he will not be employed again in the banking industry.
If Bell violates the terms of the plea agreement, or violates any court order, local, state or federal law pending the resolution of the case, federal prosecutors will have the right to void any or all parts of the agreement and may prosecute Bell "for any and all federal crimes that the defendant committed related to this case, including any charges that were dismissed."
Bell was represented in this case by attorney Robert Peters of Winchester.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Making a false entry in bank records... hmmmmm... not sure what that means but I bet its a fancy word for stealing
Well yea I am sure he wasn't putting money in
No, it did not involve money or stealing, merely a signature
more to do with the pyramid investment scheme from a while back at least that what was on the wind out on the farm.
You must not know Mr. Bell. He is a very well respected banker in this town.
You must not know Mr. Bell. He is a well respected banker in this town.
Vultures, bloggers are mostly vultures to feed upon others and when they do so it gives them some sense of importance.
Pathetic.
I didn't realize innocent people plead guilty in a federal court please excuse us vultures.
Ron is a respected man. If he made a mistake he has taken the first step to correct it. I don't know anyone perfect or who has the rght to judge. All we can do in life is the best we can. That applies to lawyers, bankers and preachers and to us out on the farm.
and to bloggers as well?
LoL. Really, I was wondering if the second comming was going to happen through a TG comment post...lotta perfection here on these pages.
Well, it's kind of hard to plead innocent when you are caught with your pants down. A respectable man would have turned himself in instead of waiting until his hand is caught in the cookie jar and then admitting guilt.
Oh well, at least he is willing to receive his punishment.
His hand was not in the cookie jar, this had nothing to do with money or stealing, and nothing to do with a pyramid scheme.
I wish you the best of luck Ron.
That really sucks. Sometimes in business when you are close to other people and are trying to do what is in the best interest of all involved, you make a mistake. I had signed my bosses name on checks for years at a company I worked for. When I left the company, I was investigated for fraud. Lucky for me nothing ever came of it as I was asked and given permission to do so.
Sometimes trusting others is the wrong move. Good luck Ron.
WHY IS IT THAT SOME PEOPLE TAKE PLEASURE IN THE TROUBLES OF OTHERS? I HAVE KNOWN RON BELL FOR 40 YEARS AND I KNOW HIM TO BE AN HONEST CONSERVATIVE BANKER.
Ron you should have just put a mask on and robbed the bank.The time and fine would have been less.I still think your a good man,who has done much good for Bedford County.We all make mistakes, legal or illegal,small or large.Some get caught,others do not.Just don't throw stones if you live in a glass house,or talk about the speck in your brothers eye when you have a beam in yours.
I guess Mr. Coffee didn't want a loan extention. Does that mean he was ready to pay off the loan? if it does why didn't he.
Bob Peters -- the Norton of Winchester.
Good question toad. And did Mr. Coffey sign other extentions of the same note?
I hope Charlie Coffey feels good about what he has done to Ron, it is evident he owed the money, it is evident he did renew the note after the alligation took place, Ron's action did no harm to anyone.
Could it be a ploy to get his money back from a bad investment? Let's see, that means the bank losses the money which drives their cost up which means that the customers and share holders pay for his bad investment. I guess in some minds that is reason enough to destroy a man that was accommodating his customer. So Ron is the victim of an egotistical bully that can't seem to admit he made a mistake.
What a great person Ron Bell is. I know him on a professional and personal level. They just don't come any better.
scapegoat- --noun
1. a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.
There has to be more to this story. Ron Bell is a good man.
I have very little experience with sophisticated financial matters, so I'm a bit puzzled. He ordered someone to issue a loan extension without the borrower's consent...why?? Did he have something to gain or was he doing someone a favor?? Doesn't really sound like a federal crime to me...although falsifiying bank documents would qualify.
jtjustice30,
My opinion is, he took someone at their word since they had been doing quite a bit of business prior and that is how they always did it. I see it happen quite a bit. Sadly, a man's word doesn't mean much.
There was no mistake made here. A mistake is adding up a column of numbers incorrectly, or filing paperwork in the wrong drawer. Directing a subordinate to complete paperwork and sign a customer's name to it is not a mistake. It is an overt act of fraud. And, if you would remove your personal feelings about Mr. Bell you would realize this. Call it a gross error in judgment, but do not call it a mistake.
I know both Mr. Bell and Mr. Coffey. I wonder what Coffey's input is on this matter. If I needed a friend, I would choose Mr. Bell over Mr. Coffey any day of the week. I once worked in a bank and no money is involved in this type of transaction, so it makes me wonder if Coffey had instructed Mr. Bell to take care of such matters for him. Coffey (at one time) spent most of his time in Knoxville and away from 'us country people'. He was way 'above the standards' of this small town; even though this is the town where his business started.
If Coffey's loan was renewed in 2006 why didn't he blow the whistle then.(maybe he did I don't know?) But, why is it almost 2 1/2 years later before this comes out. It makes Coffey appear to be OK with Bell's actions as long as things were going well for him.
and to bloggers as well?
-- Posted by memyselfi on Thu, Oct 29, 2009, at 5:36 AM
Yes, to all bloggers, I understand how friends of Ron's are quick to defend. I personally know Ron and would still trust him, but do not condone what he has done. I however see him being attacked not because of the crime. Crimes occur and are reported everyday.
But like so many others that are reported on for their actions he is attacked by bloggers just for the sake of having some fresh meat. So it is no shock that bloggers sharpen their fangs and rip into the subject of the day.
After all in todays society and pro socialistic mind set it is the "in" thing to attack a banker, lawyer or anyone who would seem to have succeeded and stumbled. i guess to some the blog is their only way to get their "dig" at someone. But one would have to wonder why anyone gains pleasure from anthers troubles in life.
I would think rather than rip someone who has stood up and took responsibility, regardless of his cookie jar status, we as humans, and those that could be walking in the same shoes at any given moment, should try and accept and if effected directly by his actions forgive.
I look past the flaws in my friends just as they look past mine, that is just the way we do things out on the farm
Again I have to ask, If you are sentenced for 30 years, you are, say 45, how can you be expected to pay back a million dollars? The same as with Eugene Nichols, there is more shame if you have to face the public everyday than to hide away in prison. They could atleast be monitored here and pay some of the money back, or the fines, which ever.
I think sugarmagnolia may just be on to something.
I am glad to see how this form, for the most part, has caught on to the truth of the matter. No doubt, there was a technical malfeasance but the spirit of the law or regulation is to protect customers from loss due to an unscrupulous bank official. This Bank official received no money,or no other reward for his "crime". On the other hand Mr Coffey will use this to sue the bank and regain the money that he foolishly invested and lost. Greed was the reason for the investment and greed is the reason that the charges were brought.
I Don't know Ron Bell any more than I know George Bush but I find it amazing that you people have no problem with somebody doing something illegal like this yet when a few people were arrested for playing poker (with their money I might add) you were ready to hang them on the courthouse lawn.
And yes it was illegal for someone to sign a loan extension other than the person who has the loan. Whether he is a good man or not I would like to think he has been in the banking business long enough to know what he can and what he can't do.
Com'on people we aren't talking about a couple thousand dollar loan here it was 3 million dollars.
I sure wouldn't like it if my bank decided I needed a loan and signed my name to the paperwork.
I wish Mr.Bell no harm but good God people get a grip. Stop picking and choosing which people are guilty or innocent just because they are status quo in the community.
Mr. Bell may have thought he was doing Mr. Coffey a favor but in reality he had to know better. You don't work in the banking business as long as he has and not know you can not sign someone else's name to a loan of any kind.
I don't think anybody said that what he did wasn't wrong but there is a bigger picture. That doesn't minimize the wrong but there is a much bigger agenda.....
RON IS A GOOD GUY.THE FDIC RULES ARE SEVERE IT SEEMS.I HOPE THE SENTENCE IS LIMITED AND RON IS RELEASED ON PROBATION.SORRY THIS INCIDENT CAUSED SO MUCH TROUBLE FOR YOU.
"Coffey could not be reached for comment"...that says it all. If he was so innocent, he whould have spoken up.
nurse_01, Mr. Coffey contacted me after we went to press this morning and said he could not comment on this matter due to his ongoing litigation with Regions Bank.
Coffey could not be reached for comment"...that says it all. If he was so innocent, he whould have spoken up.
-- Posted by nurse_01 on Thu, Oct 29, 2009, at 4:38 PM
Did I miss something in this article? Where did it say that Coffey was guilty of anything
It also says "Officials at FirstBank in Shelbyville had no comment about the matter when reached on Wednesday" does that mean they aren't so innocent either?
why would someone risk his job, his reputation or his future when he would receive no gains from the transaction? it's so easy to make judgement based on one newspaper article and would be against human nature for people to actually look at the other side of the story.
it is also important to remember that this "subordinate" who actually signed the loan made a conscious decision as well. where was the "subordinate" when mr. bell was receiving his consequence?
DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THE LOCAL PAPER!! There is always more (or less) of the story not printed. They seem to not quite get the story straight.
Let me guess...Mr. Coffey is a christian and goes to church three times a week...did he give permission for the signature to be done?...is he current on his note at this time?...why is he in litigation with the bank?...hes not trying to NOT pay it back now is he?...crooked....down right crooked
Dianatn... you wrote in part.... I Don't know Ron Bell any more than I know George Bush but I find it amazing that you people have no problem with somebody doing something illegal like this yet when a few people were arrested for playing poker (with their money I might add) you were ready to hang them on the courthouse lawn.
Who are you people? I think in both instances people were convicted... right.... so what is your point. looks like you just wanted to complain that people got caught gambling...or that is the way it looks from out on the farm
I don't know about the legal aspects of this, but banks don't cut anyone slack when it is the customer making the mistake.
If my wife only knew she is in danger of going to Jail!!! she has been signing my paychecks for years.
Sorry. I just don't believe that Mr.Coffey is so innocent in this. I don't know either man, but I don't see anyone in this profession risking his job without the customer's say-so. I may be wrong, but I just don't see it.
It doesn't matter how well someone knows the man or how respected he is in the community . . . if you do something wrong and that is considered illegal then you are guilty and must except the consequences of such actions. Anyone in the banking business should know that you never sign for someone else and especially without consent. Mr. Bell put himself in this situation and while I do believe the punishment is severe, he still did something wrong. We can't go around and deem who is worthy and not worthy of punishment just because we like the person and he is respected. Sometimes pedophiles are respected members of the community before they are caught but we don't turn a blind eye to their transgressions just because we like them.
People need to learn to be accountable for their actions and we need to stop making excuses for people when they do wrong.
Well it is very sad for Mr. Coffey to be put in a box with Mr. Bell. I keep hearing what agreat guy Mr. Bell is , well maybe that is only when he wants something. I have known Ron for years and yet, have not figured out why the public has not seen the other side of him. That 30 yrs would have been along time to think about what he asked someone to do for him. A slap on the wrist and a job at the celebration are likely, seems they are in the rehab business.
I was in banking for years and rule number one is you never sign anyone's name to any document! Why would you tell someone else to sign it??? Maybe to keep your hands clean. Local investagation, FBI, wounder how long it took Mr. Bell to come clean? Anyone of you Bell lovers ask him that questions? Give it time and the truth will come out but FBI does not come calling and you don't plead guilty unless you are indeed guilty. Good luck to all those in this case.
One last thing, sounds like the "suborinate" rolled on Mr. Bell.
I like Mr Bell and Mr Coffey. However, none of this makes sense ONLY because there is more to the story............ you only know what has been printed .....There is more to this than meets the eye.Dont Judge Mr Coffey...He was the customer at the bank...How many more are there like Mr Coffey? Mr Bell misused his position.bottomline...He Made some poor decisions.The question is, does this go further up the banking ladder?
We haven'nt heard all the facts. I wish we can.
It is funny how some cases can be investigated and some are not.If you need help,you need help.There is more going on same circumstances and different people. Watch your loan documents and paper work closely.
Why would anyone plead guilty to anything that could put him behind bars for up to 30 years and pay a fine of $1,000,000? Now come on, you know what it sounds like. He settled for the best deal he could get because other pending charges were dropped for a guilty plea. What makes anyone think this was an isolated incident?
Why would anyone plead guilty to anything that could put him behind bars for up to 30 years and pay a fine of $1,000,000? Now come on, you know what it sounds like. He settled for the best deal he could get because other pending charges were dropped for a guilty plea. What makes anyone think this was an isolated incident?
-- Posted by irememberwhen on Fri, Oct 30, 2009, at 11:02 PM
Logic:1 Sentiment:0
Well the bank had to covered mergers and all. The bonuses had to be paid and the bank could not get the money back out of the McClean deal ....right.... but if Mr. Coffee did not sign the paper then wrong was done...but the paper got one thing wrong. The subordinate did not sign anything..at least that is what we hear out on the farm
You know, if Mr. Coffey had been responsible and gone in and signed the renewal or extension, whater it is called, when it was due, we would not be having this conversation.
Ever thought maybe Mr.Coffey didn't want to sign the paperwork maybe he wanted to take his business elsewhere?
I don't know Mr. Coffey except in passing but how can you possibly turn this into something he did when he was not the one who signed.
I have worked in a Financial Institution for many years now. You never sign anyone's name to anything!!! and you do not allow anyone else to do it either. It is beyond me why spouses think it is okay to sign the other spouses name. you cannot do this without a power of attorney that states you can sign the other person name on specific documents. Ron Bell knew better and for that he will loose is job and maybe his freedom. Why could he not overnight the documents to Mr. Coffey and have him sign them in front of a notary?
Mr Coffee had his attorney direct the bank to pull the funds against his accounts with McClean. However that is about the time the whole thing went bad. So the funds "had" to be covered by a loan extension that Mr. Coffee had no reason to go sign. Because he assumed the funds from McClean would be there.So it does have something to do with the pyramid.... at least that is what's on the wind out on the farm
I dont know why everyone is bickering back and forth?
What mr. bell did was illegal, he may be an honest profesional man "but" if he was, he himself would know in the the occupation that he was in the rights and wrongs of the buisness. The laws are written as such for a reason. Actions are eather wrong or right there is no gray area and what he did was illegal in the eyes of the United States government.In this case its just that simple people, documents were fordged weather it was for personal gain or to help the individual. IT DOESNT MATTER IT WAS STILL ILLEGAL, THEREFORE HE HAS TO PAY FOR THE ACTIONS THAT HE HAS DONE.
Anyone of you guys that would call Mr. Bell a "good man or respected banker" after this have lost your mind. What charges were dropped in his plea agreement? I would guess lying to the Feds or maybe a grand jury to name a few! He has been in this business for his entire adult life!The Feds would not waste time chasing someone who did nothing wrong. It blows my mind that some of you out in wounder land would defend him. If it was your bank or banker what would you do, make another deposit. Grow up guys!
Mr Bell plead guilty and is going to take his sentence...enuf said...good luck Mr Bell.
OK... So a man named Coffee borrows $3,000,000 dollars from a banker named Bell. Borrower Coffee would have had to sign the papers and documents... lots of signatures and notary public signatures. That becomes the Note in question. The $3,000,000 Note was signed and the funds accepted by the Borrower Coffee. He got the money, right?
Banker Bell did not get anything other than his fees as a banker. There was no kickback or fraud committed on the front end of this note by Banker Bell, right?
Conventional wisdom is Banker Bell made a deal with the Borrower Coffee to loan money to him. Borrower Coffee allegedly invested the $3,000,000 in a Ponzi scheme. In the Banking World when loan comes due Borrower must pay off, get it renewed, get a forebearance agreement (another loan) or it goes into default. So Coffee does not pay it off. Instead Banker Bell signs paper for Borrower Coffee to extend loan, right. Borrower Coffee STILL has signed original documents and took the money, is that correct? Now when it came time for the loan to be paid off Borrower Coffee would either pay it off, or ask for an extension or be in default. So the accommodating Banker Bell signs the extension on the $3,000,000 loan that he would have otherwise had to put in a default status. Then start going after the assets of the borrower, right? His secretary that Banker Bell instructed her to create the loan documents and sign Mr. Coffee's name to them. (This is where the law was broken).
Banker Bell would benifit by continuing a relationship with a wealthy client of the bank. He would avoid being in hot water for making such a big bad loan with the Regions bank bosses. That is it that I can see.
Questions:
Who notarized the document? That the secretary signed?
Now Borrower Coffee says that he had instructed his lawyer to have the Banker Bell liquidate the accounts that Borrower Coffee had invested with a Ponzi scheme. Why not send check?
Why is Borrower Coffee need a middle man lawyer to call Banker Bell? You just go down to Bank and take your check Dude. Banker Bell would have to have lawyers filing all kinds of suits to get judgments to chase down assets to pay down loan. You would have to do a lot of paperwork to just go take investment accounts away from a Borrower Coffee.
What kind loan money has been recovered by the Regions bank from Borrower Coffee. He is in default on the $3,000,000.
So has he paid back the $3,000,000 loan? Any portion of it? He going to loose his house?
Does Banker Bell go to jail?
What kind of collateral does Regions have on Coffee's loan?
So this is all a distraction from the real issue... Will Regions Bank get their $3,000,000 note paid back by the borrower?
KindaWondering
Kinda wounder,
You are lost as a ball in high weeds! Why try to put together the facts when no one has them expect bank and Coffey? I would not read anything from the above comments and try to put this together. The only fact we have heard is Bell did the bank and Mr. Coffey wrong by having someone sign his loan. Enjoy your day!
KindaWondering, you make more sense to me than anyone on here. I suspect you know what is going on more than most. I was just thinking the same thing. Bell was wrong and he got caught, but where is the 3 million and has any of it been paid back? There is a lot more to this