Craig S. Morford
United States Attorney
William M. Cohen
Assistant U.S. Attorney
ATTORNEY SENTENCED FOLLOWING PLEA OF GUILTY TO
BANKRUPTCY CONCEALMENT-RELATED CHARGES
NASHVILLE, TN -- July 2, 2007 -- United States Attorney, Craig S. Morford and Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, My Harrison announced that Robert D. Benson, a former Tennessee lawyer, was sentenced to a term of two and one-half years incarceration by United States District Judge Aleta Trauger. Benson had pled guilty on March 26, 2007 to concealing money which belonged to the bankruptcy estate of an individual who filed bankruptcy in the Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. Benson was also placed on two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $333,657.68 to the trustee of the bankruptcy estate from which he had concealed money.
During his plea hearing, Benson admitted that he came into possession of $333,657.68 after settling a lawsuit he brought on behalf of an individual in bankruptcy. Benson further admitted that rather than turning that money over to the Bankruptcy Trustee or to the creditors of the bankrupty, as required, he used the money for his own personal use.
United States Attorney Morford said, “Fraud strikes at the very heart of the bankruptcy system. Such conduct, particularly by professionals, will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Cohen prosecuted this case for the government, which was investigated by the F.B.I. The case was referred to the United States Attorney’s Office by the Nashville office of the United States Trustee.