Willamette Country Concerts President Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud And Money Laundering

Festival Organizer Pleads Guilty (Image: Shutterstock.com)

ANNE HANKINS, former Pres. and minority owner of WILLAMETTE COUNTRY CONCERTS, has pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering. According to the UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE for the District of OREGON, HANKINS falsified bank statements and financial summaries to influence the sale of her 49% stake in the company to its majority owner. 

WILLAMETTE COUNTRY CONCERTS planned, managed and promoted the annual WILLAMETTE COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL in LINN COUNTY, OR. HANKINS, whose fraud extended over an 18-month period between 2016 and 2018, entered her guilty plea on WEDNESDAY (9/28). 

“With TODAY’s guilty plea, MS. HANKINS has proven herself to be a serial fraudster,” said Criminal Chief for the U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CRAIG GABRIEL. “Falsifying bank statements and laundering money to fraudulently inflate the value of a company are serious federal crimes.” 

HANKINS, 53, a resident of SPRINGFIELD, OR, faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and up to 10 years for money laundering, plus fines up to $250,000. She will be sentenced on JANUARY 5th, 2023. She has agreed to pay restitution.

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