Charge: Lexington man lied about being Navy SEAL to seek loan for horse business

A federal grand jury has charged that a man lied about being a Navy SEAL and put false information in loan documents at a Kentucky bank for money to start a horse business.

The grand jury indicted Christopher “Rusty” Custer Thursday on two charges of bank fraud and two charges of wire fraud.

The indictment said Custer “falsely purported” to be a Navy SEAL in 2018 when he applied for a loan from Traditional Bank to buy a home and land in Lexington for an equine business.

Custer allegedly misrepresented his “finances, character and personal history” in documents he gave the bank in May 2018 and August 2019, the indictment said.

He also is charged with sending false information about his financial status by email to an investor in November 2019 to get a loan for an oil and gas pipeline inspection business.

State records show a person with the same name set up a business called Moon Dance Farm in Lexington in February 2018. It was dissolved in October 2019 for not filing an annual report.

Custer set up another business called Wildcat Field Services LLC in October 2019. It was dissolved a year later after not filing an annual report.

The bank fraud charges against Custer have a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

The indictment includes a forfeiture count aimed at recovering $1,572,697 that Custer allegedly received as a result of fraud.

Court records do not list an attorney for Custer and attempts to reach him were not successful.