Court date set for former Oregon, Illinois banker

A Sept. 8 court date has been set for an Oregon woman accused of embezzling $32,000 from an Oregon bank.Lynn Wilsie, 38, appeared in federal court in Rockford Wednesday morning before District Judge Philip G. Reinhard.In a brief hearing, Reinhard set Wilsie’s next “status/change of plea hearing” for Sept. 8.
“By that time we hope to have a plea, but if not then we’re looking at a trial date,” said U.S. Attorney John McKenzie, lead prosecutor.Wilsie’s attorney for Wednesday’s hearing, Nick Zimmerman, of Sreenan & Cain, P.C., Rockford, agreed to the Sept. 8 date.“By agreement we will set the status hearing for that date,” said Reinhard. “If there’s going to be a plea let’s try and get all the documents out...otherwise if it is going to be tried we’ll set a trial date.”Wilsie, a former vice-president and marketing director for the now defunct Rock River Bank, pleaded not guilty April 27 to 12 counts of embezzlement. She is accused of taking a total of $32,904.98 during a three-year period.She was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 20. The indictment alleges her responsibilities as marketing director included approving the payment of invoices related to advertising and public relations.She is accused of preparing accounts payable tickets to support payments to the bank’s vendors, but then using those tickets to cause the bank to issue cashier’s checks payable to others.The indictment alleges Wilsie took the cashier’s checks and used them to pay her personal expenses, including rent, credit card bills, and a personal loan.The indictment lists 12 separate embezzlements from July 18, 2006 to May 8, 2009. Six counts charge separate embezzlements of more than $1,000. All amounts are listed in the indictment as “approximately” with “on or about” before each of the dates.If convicted of those crimes, Wilsie faces up to 30 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $1 million for each count, prosecutors say.The remaining six counts charge separate embezzlements of $1,000 or less. If convicted of those crimes, Wilsie faces up to a year in prison for each count, prosecutors say. She remains free on a recognizance bond.
Rock River Bank was closed July 2, 2009 by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Banking, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. It is now Community Bank of Oregon.