Aiken man accused of committing bank fraud regarding wealthy Aiken woman's will (2024)

An Aiken man has been indicted in relation to the will of an Aiken woman who died in 2022.

A federal grand jury indicted Thomas Allen Bateman Jr. on Tuesday on two counts of bank fraud regarding the will of Mary Margaret Wenzel Crandall.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday Jr. and Scott Matthews alleged that Bateman attempted to commit bank fraud when he tried to use a will Crandall signed in 2020 to obtain her assets fromSecurity Federal BankandBank of America.

They allege the 2020 will was part of a scheme to fraudulently obtain Crandall's assets, which were valued at over $8 million in 2012.

They addGeorge Funeral Home owner Cody Anderson obtained a form will with blanks that could be filled in electronically or by hand, Holliday and Matthews say in the indictment.

Anderson had nothing to do with any alleged misconduct involving Crandall, his attorney, John Harte said.

In this will, she left all of her assets to her power of attorney to Bateman. Also in the 2020 will, Crandall named Anderson her personal representative, the person that would distribute assets according to the will.

Crandall signed the 2020 willbetween May 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2020, in a car in the parking lot ofGeorge Funeral Home.

They further allege Bateman drove Crandall, who lived in a nursing home from 2012 until her death, to George Funeral Home where she signed the 2020 will. They said Crandall was incapable of making a "knowing, intelligent and voluntary determination regarding disposition of her assets because of mental defect or infirmity."

Anderson ordered three George Funeral Home employees to witness Crandall signing the document, Holliday and Matthews added.

Anderson didn't tell the employees what they were witnessing, Holliday and Matthews said. The employees witnessed an elderly woman sign an unknown document, Holliday and Matthews continued.

Crandalldied Jan. 5, 2022.

Anderson filed paperwork the next day to get her estate probated according to the 2020 will.

Ultimately,Second Judicial Circuit Judge Courtney Clyburn Pope — the case was moved from probate court due to the will dispute — eventually threw the will out because it didn't meet the witness requirements under South Carolina law to be considered a valid will.

When the will was thrown out, Crandall's estate was distributed according to a will she had signed in 2001.

In that will, she left her assets to friends and charities.