Stratford Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy Fraud

John H. Durham. United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DARRYLL HARMON, 44, of Stratford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of bankruptcy fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, HARMON was in default on his HUD-insured mortgage, which was held by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (“CHFA”).  In January 2009, CHFA commenced foreclosure proceedings in Connecticut Superior Court.  Between January 2009 and October 2013, HARMON filed seven petitions for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut, which caused the foreclosure proceedings to be automatically stayed until the bankruptcy proceedings were resolved.  The bankruptcy court dismissed all but one of the bankruptcy petitions because HARMON failed to pay filing fees or to file required information.  On July 25, 2014, the bankruptcy court dismissed HARMON’s seventh bankruptcy petition and issued an order barring HARMON from filing for bankruptcy for the two-year period from July 17, 2014 through July 17, 2016. 

On July 1, 2016, HARMON filed another bankruptcy petition, this time in the name of another individual who lived in Texas.  HARMON falsely listed his home as the other individual’s residence and forged that individual’s signature on the bankruptcy petition.  The individual did not authorize the petition to be filed and did not have knowledge that it was being filed.  The filing of the false bankruptcy petition caused another automatic stay of the foreclosure sale on HARMON’s home, thereby hindering and preventing CHFA from foreclosing on the HUD-insured mortgage and collecting the debts owed to it. 

Bankruptcy fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  A sentencing date has not been scheduled.  HARMON is released on a $75,000 bond.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.