Information — United States v. Linda Gail Johnson (Southern District of Georgia, Document 1)

Summary

This is an Information in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Brunswick Division, No. 2:25cr-025, charging Linda Gail Johnson with wire fraud. It alleges that Johnson was employed by Bennett, an auto dealership, and administered payroll, and that Johnson used insider access to Bennett's payroll systems to make unauthorized payments from the payroll account to herself, defrauding Bennett in excess of $150,000. The scheme is alleged to run from at least as early as December 12, 2019 through at least on or about October 12, 2023, using ACH payments. Count One charges that on or about September 21, 2023 Johnson initiated an unauthorized ACH payment of $5,700 from Bennett's payroll account at Southeastern Bank to a personal account at Navy Federal Credit Union.

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    Case 2:25-cr-00025-LGW-BWC        Document 1      Filed 09/08/25     Page 1 of 4




                     UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT                                       FILED
                                                                            John E. Triplett, Clerk of Court

                     SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA
                                                                              United States District Court


                          BRUNSWICK DIVISION
                                                                       By jamesburrell at 11:47 am, Sep 08, 2025




UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                    ) INFORMATION NO. 2:25cr-025
                                            )
              v.                            ) 18 U.S.C. § 1343
                                            ) Wire Fraud
LINDA GAIL JOHNSON                          )


THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY CHARGES THAT:

      At all times relevant to this Information, unless otherwise stated:

                            GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

      1.           Bennett Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep, L.L.C. (“Bennett”) is a domestic

corporation registered in the state of Georgia. The auto dealership sells, repairs, and

services vehicles of various makes and models. It is located in Kingsland, Camden

County, within the Southern District of Georgia.

      2.     During the charged time period, LINDA GAIL JOHNSON, was

employed by Bennett. As part of her employment, one of LINDA GAIL JOHNSON’S

duties was to administer payroll for the benefit of Bennett’s employees.

      3.     During the charged time period, LINDA GAIL JOHNSON used her

insider access to Bennett’s payroll systems and, without authority, made

unauthorized payments from Bennett’s payroll account to herself on numerous

occasions.   In total, LINDA GAIL JOHNSON defrauded Bennett in excess of

$150,000.
    Case 2:25-cr-00025-LGW-BWC          Document 1   Filed 09/08/25   Page 2 of 4




                                   THE SCHEME

      4.       Beginning at least as early as December 12, 2019, and continuing

through at least on or about October 12, 2023, the Defendant, LINDA GAIL

JOHNSON, devised and intended to devise a scheme to defraud Bennett, and to

obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses,

representations and promises.

                             MANNER AND MEANS

It was part of the scheme that:

      5.     LINDA GAIL JOHNSON, using her position within Bennett, would

access Bennett’s payroll systems maintained at Southeastern Bank, with

headquarters in Darien, Georgia.

      6.     In addition to her salary and other entitlements, LINDA GAIL

JOHNSON would also initiate unauthorized payments from Bennett’s payroll

account to various accounts maintained by LINDA GAIL JOHNSON. These

unauthorized transactions were made in interstate commerce in the form of

automated clearinghouse (ACH) payments.

      7.     LINDA GAIL JOHNSON would conceal her fraudulent activities from

other employees at Bennett. Never during the charged time period did LINDA GAIL

JOHNSON disclose her fraudulent payments to any officer, staff, or other employee.

      8.     LINDA GAIL JOHNSON would use the fraudulent funds that she

received for her own use and benefit.




                                           2
    Case 2:25-cr-00025-LGW-BWC        Document 1     Filed 09/08/25    Page 3 of 4




                                   COUNT ONE
                                    Wire Fraud
                                  18 U.S.C. § 1343

      9.    On or about September 21, 2023, in Candler County, within the

Southern District of Georgia, and elsewhere, the defendant,

                            LINDA GAIL JOHNSON,

for the purpose of executing the scheme described above, caused to be transmitted by

means of wire communication in interstate commerce signals and sounds, specifically

by initiating an unauthorized ACH payment from Bennett’s payroll account at

Southeastern Bank, headquartered in Darien, Georgia to LINDA                    GAIL

JOHNSON’s personal account at Navy Federal Credit Union, headquartered in

Vienna, Virginia, in the amount of $5,700.

      All in violation of Section 1343 of Title 18 of the United States Code.




                          {Signatures on Following Page}


                                          3
  Case 2:25-cr-00025-LGW-BWC       Document 1     Filed 09/08/25   Page 4 of 4




!Qry~
Tania D. Groover                          Darron J. Hubbard
Assistant United States Attorney          Assistant United States Attorney
Chief, Criminal Division                  *Lead Counsel




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