AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Four people accused of masterminding a scheme to defraud several banks across the area have been indicted.  A federal grand jury in Amarillo returned a 29-count indictment charging the four with various offenses related to their involvement in a bank fraud scheme.

The following individuals are each charged with one count of bank fraud:
Keith Raye Nickerson, 45, of Amarillo
Edith June Nickerson, a/k/a "Edith Collums," 39, of Amarillo
Kim Vardel Orange, 49, of California
Jamon Jerrod Williams, 34, of Amarillo

The indictment alleges that from June of last year through October of this year, the defendants schemed to defraud Amarillo National Bank, Happy State Bank, Herring National Bank, HigherOne, First Bank Southwest, First National Bank of Texas, First Convenience Bank, Woodforest National Bank and Amarillo Federal Credit Union.

As part of the scheme they issued and passed, false and fraudulent securities of nonexistent businesses and personal checks on closed or insufficient funded accounts at various financial institutions and businesses in Texas.

They would deposit checks from an account with insufficient funds or a closed account to cover a withdrawal of funds from another account with insufficient funds or closed account. The group would then, issue checks to each other, and others who they had recruited to help. They would then take those checks to banks, businesses, or check cashing businesses to pass the checks. According to the indictment, during the course of the conspiracy, the defendants and others negotiated more than $100,000 in worthless checks.

If convicted, the bank fraud count carries a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine and each of the fictitious obligations accounts carries a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution could be ordered.