To sustain the charge that a person concealed, destroyed or
falsified records after the filing of a case in bankruptcy, the government
must prove that:
- a bankruptcy proceeding existed;
- the defendant concealed, destroyed, or mutilated the documents;
- such documents related to the property or financial affairs of the
debtor; and
- the defendant acted knowingly and fraudulently.
Devitt & Blackmar, 2 Federal Jury Practice and Instructions,
§§ 48.14 & 48.15 (1990 Supplement)(deleted in later editions).
The act of concealing, destroying or falsifying records can occur
either before or after the bankruptcy case is filed. Documents or
information relating to the financial affairs of a debtor include anything
that would provide the names and locations of possible sources of funds or
assets or means of reorganization of the estate. United States v.
Roberts, 783 F.2d 767 (9th Cir. 1985); United States v. Metheany,
390 F.2d 559 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 393 U.S. 824 (1968).
An entry that accurately logs a fraudulent transaction is a
"fraudulent entry" when the party making the entry is aware of the
fraudulent nature of the transaction. United States v. Center, 853
F.2d 568, 571 (7th Cir. 1988). A credit placed on a company's books as a
fabrication to cover up the transfer of an accounts receivable in
contemplation of bankruptcy is a false entry in a document relating to
property of the bankrupt. United States v. Falcone, 544 F.2d 607,
610 (2d Cir. 1976), cert. denied, 430 U.S. 916 (1977).
| October 1997
| Criminal Resource Manual 863
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