Durham, N.C.

James Bender, 48, a former senior vice president of trade finance for Sovereign Bank, was accused of conspiring to defraud several Latin American customers of Goss International Americas, a Durham, N.C., manufacturer of commercial printing presses.

The U.S. attorney's office says Bender arranged for the bank to purchase loans extended to customers and formed shell companies to defraud businesses. The customers were sent fraudulent invoices charging them for loan underwriting services that weren't rendered.

Paul Wilson, a former Goss manager, pleaded guilty last year to three counts of wire fraud and was sentenced to a year in prison.

BÖWE BELL + HOWELL (BBH) announced expansion plans for a new customer excellence and demonstration center at its facility in Durham, N.C. This center will feature the widest range of inserting, sorting, software, vision and service offerings available today, and provide an opportunity for customers to meet with BBH industry experts.

Cleveland-based Proforma recently welcomed four new owners to its network and also announced two owner acquisitions that took place in August. The new owners are Henry and Joan Dinneen, Proforma First, Tulsa, Okla.; Mark Losiak, Proforma Sonic Business Solutions, Minooka, Ill.; Greg Stefanowski, Proforma NS Print, Newtown, Pa.,; and Peter Winger, Proforma Pac 'N Ship, Minot, N.D. In August, Michael Baucom, owner of Proforma Print Source in Durham, N.C., acquired Printing & Graphics, Inc. of Statesville, N.C.,; and Jeff Leuchi, owner of Proforma J.C.L. Print Associates in Pleasanton, Calif., acquired Proforma PLUS of Danville, Calif. For more information, visit www.proforma.com.