Federal Court Permanently Bars Utah Man
from Promoting “Asset Protection” Scheme

WASHINGTON - A federal judge in St. George, Utah, has permanently enjoined Kent Bickmore, the founder of a so-called asset-protection business, from helping customers file fraudulent liens and create hidden nominee bank accounts, the Justice Department announced today. Bickmore agreed to the injunction without admitting the government’s allegations.

The government’s complaint alleged that Bickmore of St. George, Utah, operated the now-defunct Asset Protection Plus Inc., which helped customers place sham liens on their property to deceive creditors, including the Internal Revenue Service. Bickmore and Asset Protection also allegedly helped customers hide their income and assets by holding their money in bank accounts under nominee names.

In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained more than 430 injunctions against tax fraud promoters and tax return preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s Web site, as is information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division.