A fugitive financier from south Georgia now faces new charges for allegedly stealing millions from the bank he ran.
These charges in federal court come as the FBI hunts for 46-year old Aubrey Price, who might not even be in the country.
The new charges “involve the failure in Ailey, Georgia, of the Montgomery Bank and Trust,” said FBI Agent Steve Emmett.
Emmett says Price stole $21 million from the bank in Montgomery County two years ago. That theft caused the bank to fail.
Although Price confessed his crimes and hinted in a rambling letter that he would kill himself, Emmett said the FBI thinks he’s very much alive and on the run in South America.
"My depression and discouragement have driven me to deep anxiety, fear and shame. I am emotionally overwhelmed and incapable of continuing in this life," says the confession letter investigators believe was written by Price.
"I created false statements, covered up my losses and deceived and hurt the very people I was trying to help," the letter says, but it denies that any money was stolen and all the money was lost through bad investments.
Price “will say just about anything to further his personal causes,” said Agent Emmett.
One of the victims of the theft couldn’t agree more.
“He’s a thief and he’s a liar,” Wendy Cross told Channel 2 Action News.
Cross says she lost her entire life savings of $360,000 when Price ran off with millions.
“I understand why people commit suicide when they lose everything. I get it,” said Cross. “He was planning this exit for a very long time and he’s a very smart individual. It’s too bad it was used for such evil.”
Cross wants Price “to suffer” if and when he is caught.
Price left his home in south Georgia on June 16, telling his family he was headed to Guatemala for business, said Sgt. Aaron Pritchett of the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating his disappearance. Two days later, Price's family received letters saying he was going to Key West to board a ferry headed to Fort Meyers, and planned to jump off somewhere along the way to end his life.
Price is already facing wire fraud charges in New York. If convicted on these latest charges, he faces a $1 million dollar fine and up to 30-years in prison.