AIKEN, S.C. () – 37-year-old Cody Lee Anderson of Aiken pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud after signing the will of an 88-year-old woman who died in 2022.

Evidence presented in court showed that sometime during the pandemic, a will was executed by a woman in Aiken that purported to leave the entirety of her estate, which was worth approximately $20 million, to co-conspirator Thomas Allen Bateman, Jr.

Anderson was designated as the personal representative and stood to be paid a fee of 5%.

Evidence developed during the investigation indicated the 88-year-old woman did not have the mental capacity to make an informed decision regarding the disposition of her assets.

Anderson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $1 million and a total of five years of supervision to follow. 

Anderson’s co-conspirator, Bateman, pleaded guilty on Aug. 13, 2024.