Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY FAUSTINI, 58, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to three months of imprisonment, followed by three months of home confinement and three years of supervised release, for a bankruptcy fraud offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 12, 2018, Faustini filed a personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut. In the petition, Faustini noted that his unpaid debts were approximately $86,862. However, Faustini failed to disclose to the court that he knew that he was the beneficiary of a $100,000 life insurance policy held against the life of his mother. Nine days later, on March 21, 2018, Faustini’s mother passed away.
On April 18, 2018, Faustini testified under oath regarding his bankruptcy petition. In response to questioning from the Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee, Faustini falsely indicated that he had listed all items of value in his petition, and he failed to mention his vested interest in the $100,000 life insurance policy. In response to a specific question as to whether “anybody died and left you any money,” Faustini responded “No.”
On June 20, 2018, the bankruptcy court entered an order granting Faustini a discharge of his debts. The next day, Faustini contacted the life insurance company to determine the status of the claim payment and to confirm that the company had his correct address. On June 26, 2018, the insurance company issued a check for $100,246 to Faustini.
The Office of the U.S. Trustee for the District of Connecticut subsequently received information about the life insurance payment made to Faustini and conducted a “Rule 2004” deposition examination of Faustini on June 5, 2019. During the examination, Faustini made several false statements, including that he had not known about the life insurance policy when he filed his bankruptcy petition, that did not find out about the policy until he received the check, and that he did not know how the insurance company knew to send the check to his address.
Judge Hall ordered Faustini to pay restitution of $61,062, which comprises the debts and fees that would have been paid had Faustini previously disclosed the insurance recovery, and gives Faustini credit for monies the bankruptcy court was able to recoup from others regarding the insurance policy after the fraud was identified.
On December 3, 2020, Faustini pleaded guilty to making a false statement under oath in a bankruptcy matter.
Faustini, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on June 9, 2021.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment