TAMPA, FL – Ebony Stillwell, 31, of Tampa, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to three years for her role in a brazen bank fraud conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington delivered the sentence, along with an order for Stillwell to forfeit $252,107.07 – every dime traceable to the ill-gotten gains of the scheme. Stillwell initially pleaded guilty on October 25, 2016, but the wheels of justice grind slowly, especially when money’s involved.
The scam unfolded at St. Giles Manor, an apartment complex in Pinellas Park managed by SPM Property Management. Back in December 2014, Stillwell landed a job as the onsite manager, putting her in charge of processing invoices for refurbishment work. It was a position of trust she quickly abused. SPM contracted with Erickson’s Drying Systems, a legitimate cleaning and restoration company out of Ft. Myers, and Stillwell was responsible for ensuring they got paid.
But Stillwell wasn’t just processing payments; she was cooking the books. In January 2015, her brother, David Chambers Opembe, registered a fraudulent shell company also called Erickson’s Drying Systems – but this one was based in Texas, with Opembe as the sole signatory and using his home address. The real Erickson’s in Ft. Myers had absolutely no knowledge of this impostor operation. This was the key to diverting funds.
Between January and October 2015, Stillwell authorized roughly 21 checks to be issued from SPM’s account, but instead of going to the legitimate Erickson’s, they went to the fake one in Texas. She fabricated invoices, cleverly altering copies of real bills from the actual Erickson’s, and had the checks delivered to her office, bypassing the intended recipient. Once deposited into Opembe’s account, the pair siphoned off the cash, using it to cover car payments and other personal expenses – a total of $262,067 in fraudulently obtained funds.
Opembe, also facing charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, previously pleaded guilty and received a 36-month sentence in March 2017. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment crime; it was a calculated effort to line their pockets at the expense of legitimate businesses. The investigation was a joint effort by the Tampa Police Department and the Pinellas Park Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel leading the prosecution.
The sentencing of Stillwell sends a clear message: manipulating financial systems for personal gain won’t be tolerated. While three years is a start, it barely scratches the surface of the damage inflicted by schemes like this. The Grimy Times will continue to track federal fraud cases, holding those who exploit the system accountable for their actions.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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