1. U.S. Code
  2. title 18
  3. part I
  4. chapter 9
  5. § 157

Collapse to view only § 157. Bankruptcy fraud

§ 151. Definition

As used in this chapter, the term “debtor” means a debtor concerning whom a petition has been filed under title 11.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 689; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 314(b)(1), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2676; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330008(5), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2143.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 151

§ 152. Concealment of assets; false oaths and claims; bribery
A person who—
(1) knowingly and fraudulently conceals from a custodian, trustee, marshal, or other officer of the court charged with the control or custody of property, or, in connection with a case under title 11, from creditors or the United States Trustee, any property belonging to the estate of a debtor;
(2) knowingly and fraudulently makes a false oath or account in or in relation to any case under title 11;
(3) knowingly and fraudulently makes a false declaration, certificate, verification, or statement under penalty of perjury as permitted under section 1746 of title 28, in or in relation to any case under title 11;
(4) knowingly and fraudulently presents any false claim for proof against the estate of a debtor, or uses any such claim in any case under title 11, in a personal capacity or as or through an agent, proxy, or attorney;
(5) knowingly and fraudulently receives any material amount of property from a debtor after the filing of a case under title 11, with intent to defeat the provisions of title 11;
(6) knowingly and fraudulently gives, offers, receives, or attempts to obtain any money or property, remuneration, compensation, reward, advantage, or promise thereof for acting or forbearing to act in any case under title 11;
(7) in a personal capacity or as an agent or officer of any person or corporation, in contemplation of a case under title 11 by or against the person or any other person or corporation, or with intent to defeat the provisions of title 11, knowingly and fraudulently transfers or conceals any of his property or the property of such other person or corporation;
(8) after the filing of a case under title 11 or in contemplation thereof, knowingly and fraudulently conceals, destroys, mutilates, falsifies, or makes a false entry in any recorded information (including books, documents, records, and papers) relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor; or
(9) after the filing of a case under title 11, knowingly and fraudulently withholds from a custodian, trustee, marshal, or other officer of the court or a United States Trustee entitled to its possession, any recorded information (including books, documents, records, and papers) relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor,
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 689; Pub. L. 86–519, § 2, June 12, 1960, 74 Stat. 217; Pub. L. 86–701, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 753; Pub. L. 94–550, § 4, Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2535; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 314(a), (c), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2676, 2677; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7017, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4395; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 103–394, title III, § 312(a)(1)(A), Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4138; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3497.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 152

§ 153. Embezzlement against estate
(a)Offense.—A person described in subsection (b) who knowingly and fraudulently appropriates to the person’s own use, embezzles, spends, or transfers any property or secretes or destroys any document belonging to the estate of a debtor shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
(b)Person to Whom Section Applies.—A person described in this subsection is one who has access to property or documents belonging to an estate by virtue of the person’s participation in the administration of the estate as a trustee, custodian, marshal, attorney, or other officer of the court or as an agent, employee, or other person engaged by such an officer to perform a service with respect to the estate.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 690; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 314(a)(1), (d)(1), (2), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2676, 2677; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 103–394, title III, § 312(a)(1)(A), Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4139; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3497.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 153

§ 154. Adverse interest and conduct of officers
A person who, being a custodian, trustee, marshal, or other officer of the court—
(1) knowingly purchases, directly or indirectly, any property of the estate of which the person is such an officer in a case under title 11;
(2) knowingly refuses to permit a reasonable opportunity for the inspection by parties in interest of the documents and accounts relating to the affairs of estates in the person’s charge by parties when directed by the court to do so; or
(3) knowingly refuses to permit a reasonable opportunity for the inspection by the United States Trustee of the documents and accounts relating to the affairs of an estate in the person’s charge,
shall be fined under this title and shall forfeit the person’s office, which shall thereupon become vacant.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 690; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 314(a)(2), (e)(1), (2), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2676, 2677; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(G), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 103–394, title III, § 312(a)(1)(A), Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4139; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3497.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 154

§ 155. Fee agreements in cases under title 11 and receiverships

Whoever, being a party in interest, whether as a debtor, creditor, receiver, trustee or representative of any of them, or attorney for any such party in interest, in any receivership or case under title 11 in any United States court or under its supervision, knowingly and fraudulently enters into any agreement, express or implied, with another such party in interest or attorney for another such party in interest, for the purpose of fixing the fees or other compensation to be paid to any party in interest or to any attorney for any party in interest for services rendered in connection therewith, from the assets of the estate, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 690; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 4, 63 Stat. 90; Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 314(f)(1), (2), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2677; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 155

§ 156. Knowing disregard of bankruptcy law or rule
(a)Definitions.—In this section—
(1) the term “bankruptcy petition preparer” means a person, other than the debtor’s attorney or an employee of such an attorney, who prepares for compensation a document for filing; and
(2) the term “document for filing” means a petition or any other document prepared for filing by a debtor in a United States bankruptcy court or a United States district court in connection with a case under title 11.
(b)Offense.—If a bankruptcy case or related proceeding is dismissed because of a knowing attempt by a bankruptcy petition preparer in any manner to disregard the requirements of title 11, United States Code, or the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, the bankruptcy petition preparer shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(Added Pub. L. 103–394, title III, § 312(a)(1)(B), Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4140; amended Pub. L. 109–8, title XII, § 1220, Apr. 20, 2005, 119 Stat. 195.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 156

§ 157. Bankruptcy fraud
A person who, having devised or intending to devise a scheme or artifice to defraud and for the purpose of executing or concealing such a scheme or artifice or attempting to do so—
(1) files a petition under title 11, including a fraudulent involuntary petition under section 303 of such title;
(2) files a document in a proceeding under title 11; or
(3) makes a false or fraudulent representation, claim, or promise concerning or in relation to a proceeding under title 11, at any time before or after the filing of the petition, or in relation to a proceeding falsely asserted to be pending under such title,
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
(Added Pub. L. 103–394, title III, § 312(a)(1)(B), Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4140; amended Pub. L. 109–8, title III, § 332(c), Apr. 20, 2005, 119 Stat. 103; Pub. L. 111–327, § 2(b), Dec. 22, 2010, 124 Stat. 3562.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 157

§ 158. Designation of United States attorneys and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to address abusive reaffirmations of debt and materially fraudulent statements in bankruptcy schedules
(a)In General.—The Attorney General of the United States shall designate the individuals described in subsection (b) to have primary responsibility in carrying out enforcement activities in addressing violations of section 152 or 157 relating to abusive reaffirmations of debt. In addition to addressing the violations referred to in the preceding sentence, the individuals described under subsection (b) shall address violations of section 152 or 157 relating to materially fraudulent statements in bankruptcy schedules that are intentionally false or intentionally misleading.
(b)United States Attorneys and Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.—The individuals referred to in subsection (a) are—
(1) the United States attorney for each judicial district of the United States; and
(2) an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for each field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(c)Bankruptcy Investigations.—Each United States attorney designated under this section shall, in addition to any other responsibilities, have primary responsibility for carrying out the duties of a United States attorney under section 3057.
(d)Bankruptcy Procedures.—The bankruptcy courts shall establish procedures for referring any case that may contain a materially fraudulent statement in a bankruptcy schedule to the individuals designated under this section.
(Added Pub. L. 109–8, title II, § 203(b)(1), Apr. 20, 2005, 119 Stat. 49.)

CITE AS: 18 USC 158