Sentences

Man Convicted of Economic Espionage and Bankruptcy Fraud Requests Early Release From Prison

06/03/20

Former businessman, Walter Liew, 62, who was convicted of making false statements in bankruptcy along with several offenses related to trade secrets and economic espionage, has requested that a federal court in Oakland, CA allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement.  The case is United States v. Liew, No.

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Attorney Convicted of Embezzling Estate Funds Denied Compassionate Release Pending Sentencing

05/30/20

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Ohio denied a request by John W.

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Compassionate Release Denied to Bankruptcy Fraud Defendant In Kentucky Federal Prison

05/28/20

A bankruptcy fraud defendant who "relie[d] entirely on the generalized threat of COVID-19" and "failed to explain why he is particularly vulnerable to it" is not entitled to compassionate release under the First Step Act, ruled a federal court in Indiana. 

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Bankruptcy Attorney Guilty of Embezzlement Furloughed From Prison Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

05/18/20

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) furloughed a former bankruptcy lawyer serving a 63 month sentence following a guilty plea to several bankruptcy crimes.  Peter Ressler, 72, pled guilty in 2017 to wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343), embezzlement from a bankruptcy estate (18 U.S.C. 154), and bankruptcy fraud (18 U.S.C. 157). 

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Bankruptcy Fraud Defendant Barred from Working in Real Estate Field Not Entitled to Relief

05/16/20

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida denied the request of a bankruptcy fraud defendant to modify the terms of his supervised released.  David Griffin was convicted, in connection a mortgage rescue scheme, of bankruptcy fraud and making a false material statement under oath during a section 341(a) meeting of creditors.  He was sentenced to concurrent 36 month terms in prison, followed by concurrent 36 month terms of supervised release. 

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Third Circuit Remands For Resentencing Case of Bankruptcy Fraud Defendant - District Court Failed to Explain Sentence

05/15/20

The Third Circuit recently remanded the case of a bankruptcy fraud defendant for re-sentencing on the ground that the district court failed adequately to explain how it applied the statutory sentencing factors in 18 U.S.C. 3553(a) and failed to explain it's ruling on the defendant's objection to the restitution amount.  The unpublished decision in United States v. Jackson, No. 19-1579 (3rd Cir. March 30, 2020) (slip op.) (here).

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Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison in Mortgage Rescue Scheme

03/17/20

In a case we reported on here, Aston Wood of Wisconsin and Florida was sentenced today to 12 years imprisonment for his role in a mortgage rescue scheme that defrauded more than 70 homeowners in Wisconsin of approximately $390,000.  Wood was able to collect mortgage payments from homeowners for months, even years, by falsely reassuring them that their payments were going to their mortgage lenders and that new loans were

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63 Year Old Debtor Sentenced to Probation for Lying About Ownership Interest in Oklahoma Property

12/31/19

Updating a case when wrote about here, Chief U.S. District Judge John E.

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