The former professional football player who got his start as a Hephzibah High School standout pleaded guilty Wednesday to bank fraud.
Arthur J. Marshall Jr., 40, admitted he defrauded two banks in 2007 when he obtained loans to build homes in the West Lake subdivision in Columbia County.
Mr. Marshall entered his guilty plea to two counts in U.S. District Court in Augusta. In exchange for that admission, federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining 20 criminal counts and to limit any potential for restitution to $2.5 million or less.
Mr. Marshall, who has moved to Miami, told the judge that he is now a business consultant. He will remain free on bond pending sentencing. A date has not been set.
Mr. Marshall was indicted in June on charges of bank and mail fraud and money laundering.
He was accused of committing mortgage fraud in the purchase of several properties in Columbia and Richmond counties in 2007 and 2008.
The indictment followed Mr. Marshall's bankruptcy petition and a series of civil lawsuits that accused him of deceit in business dealings. His bankruptcy petition listed about $11 million in debts.
The charges to which Mr. Marshall pleaded guilty Wednesday concern lots on Firethorn Court in West Lake, said FBI Special Agent Rebecca Harrison.
A man identified as "JP" gave Mr. Marshall a $100,000 check, which Mr. Marshall used to convince banks to lend him the money to build a house for "JP,'' and he used the same check to convince another bank to lend him money for a project that "JP" was not involved in, Agent Harrison said.
Bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $1 million, but maximum sentences are rarely imposed in federal courts. The federal sentencing guidelines advise the judges to fashion sentences based on the elements of a crime, a defendant's participation in the crimes and his character and history.
Mr. Marshall was a star of the Hephzibah football team. He played for the University of Georgia and graduated in 1991. He also played professional ball for several years before returning to the Augusta area to run a series of businesses.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
It is a shame anything a person that is blessed Tobe in a position to do something positive, stumbles and do the opposite. I do not think that he deserves 30years in prison, however since he admitted his quilt, some time is warranted.
Some time? This is a case of outright fraud. How about ten years?
White collar criminals are just as culpable as bank robbers!
Now lets see one of the typical one or two yrs sentences thats usually attached to such misbehavior. Nothing unusual is warranted in this case because his acts are the normal results of Capitalism. Lets see how this case will be treated at sentencing, because historically, when particular individuals are convicted, their life's work is considered, their families, and their future employment opportunities used as justification for light sentences. And U know, Marshall has suffered enough 'cause he has lost everything. Lets see how "justice" plays out in this one.
throw the book at him, at least 28 years without parole
Sad, that's probably why he had his head all up in the sky when you saw him in the city, he use to act like he was all that. I use to just shake my head at him and say *ump, ump, ump* like my grandmother. Mr. High and mighty, big money grip.
For once, and probably only once, I want to agree with justus -- except, I also want him to be sentenced to 500 hours of community service, like football camps for kids -- all kids. Let him "consult" on that for a little while as well.
I could care less about his football career. He should be put in jail.
Justus4 What do you think sentence should be?
Community service for ruining people's lives and contributing to the downfall of our economy?
Sadly, the big fish get these federal deals. If the middle class gets caught with traffic violations, they go straight to jail. "
The larger the crime, the less time." That's the way it is and always will be, no matter where you live.
If he has any eligibility left sentence him to UGA. The football team could use him.
A person caught shoplifting will probably get more time than Marshall. I hope that our so-called justice system will put this man away for many years.
genetic flaw....................justus...ispy etc.
"Mr. Marshall, who has moved to Miami, told the judge that he is now a business consultant." Given his business acumen, I wonder what kinds of businesses he is consulting for. If there were twenty two charges against him, this was not a random act. These actions of criminalitry were thought out and planned. If he is truly bankrupt, then it would appear that restitution would be a mute point. Why did the prosecutors agree to limit restitution to 2.5 mil or less? Sounds like he is already getting a sweetheart deal. After all, he was the only participant in these crimes.
Who is he serving as a business consultant for? ACORN.
Trust me the bankers knew what was going on. They just were caught up in the celebrity of him being a star from UGA. He didn't fool that many people. I know how people in the business community in Georgia feel about UGA star players particularly those that make it to the NFL. How you ever heard of any other inexperienced business man/ builder getting those type of loans and building in West Lake, etc so quickly.
sad...sad....sad
What about his 'property' on Barton Chapel that got half built? Is anyone going to take those over and finish them up? It is ridiculous that they have been sitting there, getting the windows busted out of them, for months. The court will take them and they will continue to sit there.
> ANDY -- You're NUTS! His two loans did not ruin anyone. If you want to go after someone who ruined lives and CAUSED the downfall of the economy, go after the butt-loving Barney Frank !!
Mike Carpenter got eight years and has paid a lot back. In these situations it is important to get all the money back possible and then create a situation where there is some type of work release with most of the money used to repay what is stolen. Some people get satisfaction out of people being in jail but satisfaction doesn't pay anyone's bills. We pay for people to be in jail who could be making money and paying back what they stole. Life is just math and relationships and the system doesn't do the math well on white collar crime.
this is probably what he gets for walking around the UGA campus as a freshman with a Hephzibah letter jacket that had "Arthur of Hephzibah" stitched on the back.
class?
nope
Plenty more wrongdoers will come out before this down turn is over.
(silence)
This bum is a great friend of another Augusta hero, Austin Rhodes. You are known by the company that you keep; and birds of a feather do flock together.
As appalling as it is that he's been allowed to cop a plea and erase 20 of 22 charges, is the fact that he was allowed to leave town where he could set up an office as "a business consultant" in Miami and prey on a whole new set of unsuspecting "clients". Some folks are put here to be a lesson to others. Get to really know who you're trusting with your money!
Keep him away for kids, he stole their hard earnrd money too!
Ispy, were you up a little early this morning? "Quilt"?????
put this sorry man behind bars where he belongs..
Another case where someone "has it all" tosses it out for a few lousy bucks--didn't anyone ever teach him that greed doesn't pay? Yes he should serve time in prison; just because he had "celebrity status" is not a justification to probate him to community service.
Another case where someone "has it all" tosses it out for a few lousy bucks--didn't anyone ever teach him that greed doesn't pay? Yes he should serve time in prison; just because he had "celebrity status" is not a justification to probate him to community service.