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A Roseburg woman pleaded guilty recently to bankruptcy fraud in which she was released from $72,000 in debt.
Brenda Gay Hartman, 44, was indicted in September by a federal grand jury that alleged she omitted assets and overstated expenses when she filed for bankruptcy while living in Klamath Falls in 2000, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The bankruptcy court initially granted Hartman's bankruptcy and discharged $72,000 in debt. The case was reopened when the court learned of the fraud and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began to investigate.
In 2002, Hartman was placed under oath and lied about her assets and liabilities, according to the release. She produced fabricated documents attempting to falsely prove that she'd sold a vehicle she owned and had purchased a residence.
The fake documents made the case a top priority, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cardoni. Generally, most bankruptcy fraud cases can be difficult to prosecute because they can be challenging to track down and compete with other crimes the government focuses on, he added.
Hartman pleaded guilty June 30 before United States District Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene and paid $25,560, the amount she would have owed had she gone through the bankruptcy process legally, Cardoni said.
Hartman declined to comment about the case. She is scheduled to be sentenced in October and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Brenda Gay Hartman, 44, was indicted in September by a federal grand jury that alleged she omitted assets and overstated expenses when she filed for bankruptcy while living in Klamath Falls in 2000, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The bankruptcy court initially granted Hartman's bankruptcy and discharged $72,000 in debt. The case was reopened when the court learned of the fraud and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began to investigate.
In 2002, Hartman was placed under oath and lied about her assets and liabilities, according to the release. She produced fabricated documents attempting to falsely prove that she'd sold a vehicle she owned and had purchased a residence.
The fake documents made the case a top priority, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cardoni. Generally, most bankruptcy fraud cases can be difficult to prosecute because they can be challenging to track down and compete with other crimes the government focuses on, he added.
Hartman pleaded guilty June 30 before United States District Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene and paid $25,560, the amount she would have owed had she gone through the bankruptcy process legally, Cardoni said.
Hartman declined to comment about the case. She is scheduled to be sentenced in October and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
