Defendant Admits She Lied during Deposition with Bankruptcy
Trustee
The operator
of a business that abused bankruptcy filings to get drivers licenses reinstated
pleaded guilty to perjury this week in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, announced
U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. Between
2012 and 2017, TRACY J. TALLY, 46, of Poulsbo, Washington, admits she
unlawfully provided legal advice and assisted people with filing fraudulent
bankruptcy forms. When questioned under
oath in a deposition with a United States Trustee, TALLY falsely denied such
activities. TALLY faces up to five years
in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan on July 13,
2018.
According to
records filed in the case, TALLY operated a business identified as ‘No More
Drivin’ Dirty.’ For a fee, TALLY would
assist clients with filing false bankruptcy forms, which were subsequently used
to exploit a provision that allowed motor vehicle drivers to seek reinstatement
of their licenses from the Washington State Department of Licensing upon
submitting proof that a bankruptcy proceeding had commenced. The bankruptcy petitions were false and the
bankruptcy proceeding was typically abandoned once the license was
reinstated. In February 2017, TALLY was
questioned under oath about whether she had provided unauthorized legal advice
to clients. TALLY claimed she had not,
even though she knew at the time she made the statement that she had given such
advice to hundreds of clients.
As part of
her plea agreement, TALLY will pay restitution totaling $2,100 to four clients
and $15,000 to the United States Trustee.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a three-year term of
probation. The ultimate sentence is up
to Judge Bryan.
The case was
investigated by the FBI and U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant
United States Attorney Grady Leupold.
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