Evergreen Reporter

Cody Lee Anderson, a 37-year-old resident of Aiken, has admitted to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. His plea is connected to the signing of a will belonging to an 88-year-old woman who died in 2022.

Court evidence revealed that during the pandemic, a will was created in Aiken. This document suggested leaving the woman's entire estate, valued at around $20 million, to Thomas Allen Bateman, Jr., who conspired with Anderson. Anderson was appointed as the personal representative and was set to receive a 5% fee. The investigation found that the elderly woman lacked the mental capacity to make informed decisions about her assets.

Anderson could face up to 30 years in federal prison. He also risks a fine of up to $1 million and five years of supervised release following imprisonment. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted his guilty plea and will determine his sentence after reviewing a report from the U.S. Probation Office. Bateman, Anderson's co-conspirator, pleaded guilty on August 13, 2024, and awaits sentencing on March 3.

The FBI Columbia Field Office and South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews and Winston Holliday are handling the prosecution.