Category Archives: Bankruptcy

Former AME Zion Church Leaders Charged with $14 Million Fraud

Charged with defrauding California congregations by mortgaging their properties, Staccato Powell of Wake Forest, NC, and Sheila Quintana of Vallejo, CA obtained $14 million in loans that were used for personal expenses. The pair were named in a federal indictment … Continue reading

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Indiana Bankruptcy Petition Preparer Sentenced in Federal Court

Ronya Phillips of Goshen, Indiana, was sentenced to serve 18 months home detention upon her plea of guilty to two counts of suborning perjury. Phillips was formerly a bankruptcy petition preparer in which she prepared bankruptcy petitions and other documents … Continue reading

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CEO of Private Jet Charter Company Convicted of Bankruptcy Fraud

A federal judge convicted a Reston businessman yesterday on a series of fraud charges relating to a bankruptcy case in which he discharged over $6 million in personal debt, according to a DOJ press release. According to court records and … Continue reading

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Bankruptcy Filings Continue to Fall Sharply

Personal and business bankruptcy filings fell 29.1 percent for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2021. A steady decline in filings has continued since the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis began.   Business filings fell 27.9 percent, from 22,391 to 16,140 in … Continue reading

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Denial of a Motion to Convert from ‘11’ to ‘7’ Is Not Final and Thus Not Appealable

An order denying a creditor’s motion to convert from chapter 11 to chapter 7 is not a final order and is not appealable as of right, according to Chief District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller of Sacramento, California. The corporate debtor … Continue reading

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Ex-chief Legal Officer of Law Firm LeClairRyan Gets 44 Months in Prison

The Justice Department said yesterday that Bruce Matson, the former chief legal officer at now-defunct law firm LeClairRyan, has been sentenced to 44 months in prison after pleading guilty in July to obstructing a federal probe. U.S. District Judge John … Continue reading

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Judge Barnes Tells Gamblers What Records to Keep to Win a Discharge in Bankruptcy

Anyone who gambles incessantly risks bankruptcy and the denial of discharge without adequate documentation of gambling losses. Bankruptcy Judge Timothy A. Barnes of Chicago wrote an opinion listing records that gamblers should keep to avoid having their discharges denied under … Continue reading

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Doctor Who Allegedly Brandished a Gun During Online Bankruptcy Hearing Faces Possible Criminal Contempt

A doctor is facing criminal contempt proceedings after he allegedly brandished a handgun during a video-conferenced bankruptcy court hearing in the midst of an eviction dispute with his landlord. The doctor, who is not being named since the proceeding is … Continue reading

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Puerto Rico Bankruptcy Tab Nears $1 Billion as Case Nears End

Hurricanes, earthquakes, the removal of a governor from office and the COVID-19 pandemic have all prolonged the commonwealth’s bankruptcy to more than four years, adding to its costs and keeping the island in default. U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor … Continue reading

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Kmart Closing All but 16 Locations, Sears Closing All but 19

Another iconic superstore has announced that it will be closing all but 16 of its remaining locations in the coming months. Two years after being purchased out of bankruptcy along with Sears, Kmart continues to shrink its once-large footprint by … Continue reading

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