Search Site   
Current News Stories
Ohio men delve into history of farm implements in Hamilton
Ice cream, sales and farming drive Tyler McCann
City leaders meet to share priorities for Illinois River
Middle Tennessee farm first to grow pineapples in state
MIFarmLink connects Michigan farmland owners with potential buyers
Heading into COP30 summit, US set to showcase sustainable advances
Size of United States corn and soybean crops debated
Michigan farm tractor accidents reminders that safety is important
Farmers’ Almanac to cease publication with 2026 issue
Coalition remains on front lines in fight against soybean cyst nematode
September milk production up; government shutdown ends
   
News Articles
Search News  
   
Owner of tractor company guilty of bank fraud
 
MACON, Ga. (AP) — The owner of a south Georgia tractor company has pleaded guilty to lying about his debts, assets, and income to obtain loans from banks and financial institutions.
Nashville Tractor owner Rickey Carter, 60, pleaded guilty in federal court in Macon to one count of bank fraud.
Carter agreed to plead guilty to a criminal charge without being indicted. The charge says Carter took out a $5 million loan from Farmers and Merchants Bank in Lakeland in 2016 that was backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. He also agreed to a $625,000 line of credit. Carter admitted he falsified financial statements to obtain the loan for his financially troubled tractor dealership,
He also admitted to selling 88 pieces of equipment worth more than $1.5 million that Nashville Tractor held in trust for CNH Industrial, the manufacturer of New Holland tractors; and other equipment that he held in trust for Kubota, without notifying the manufacturers. Carter then used the cash to pay Nashville Tractor’s debts. Carter also forged sale and lease contracts for 33 pieces of New Holland equipment, improperly receiving $1.25 million and then improperly selling the equipment to others without telling CNH.
In total, three banks, the SBA and manufacturer financing divisions lost $6.4 million to Carter because of the fraud. Carter is supposed to repay that amount in restitution.
U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson set sentencing for Sept. 15. The crime carries a maximum of 30 years in prison, but Carter is likely to be sentenced to far less under federal sentencing guidelines. He could also face up to a $1 million fine and up to five years of supervised release.
6/14/2021