Forfeiture of Office by Buying Estate Property: The Bankruptcy Crime and the Civil Punishment, Part II
by Alec P. Ostrow
Stevens & Lee PC; New York
Are There No Exceptions?
The criminal statute itself contains no exceptions. Indeed, it is unambiguous: The proscribed activity is “knowingly purchas[ing], directly or indirectly, any property of the estate of which the person is an officer in a case under title 11.” Federal statutes, including criminal statutes, if unambiguous, are generally to be construed in accordance with their plain meaning.
Individuals in Chapter 11 and Fraud: That Hybrid has a Hemi!
by R. Lee Barrett
Forshey & Prostok LLP; Fort Worth, Texas
The chronically problematic individual chapter 11 bankruptcy was the focus of a portion of the October 2005 bankruptcy reform package, more affectionately known as BAPCPA. Over time, some individuals have discovered inherent benefits to filing chapter 11 as opposed to either chapter 7 or chapter 13. Often, these individuals have assets that cannot be protected in a traditional chapter 7, and may not be conducive to reorganization under chapter 13. It is not uncommon for an individual in chapter 11 to be self-employed, to be a business owner, or a “consultant” or independent contractor for interests controlled by the debtor.
“Honest, Guv:” Justice for Defrauded Investors
by Marcus Wide
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Being a displaced Brit from north of the U.S. border, I frankly don’t have a whole lot to contribute to the Commercial Fraud newsletter on U.S. statutory issues. I can wax lyrical on the subject of the status, on discharge, of debts arising from fraud in a personal bankruptcy administered under the Canadian Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, if requested, but it is a pretty arcane topic and frankly rather dull. So what I thought I might do to maintain status as a contributing editor is attempt to take a look at those that give rise to our continuing employ.
51 Contributing Editors Appointed
Please welcome the newest contributing editors to the Commercial Fraud Task Force eNewsletter:
- Warren E. Agin, Swiggart & Agin LLC; Boston
- H. Kent Aguillard, Hoychick & Aguillard LLP; Eunice, La.
- Jerald I. Ance, Sommer Barnard PC; Indianapolis
- Daniel Austin, Pittsburgh
- Lee Barrett, Forshey & Prostok LLP; Fort Worth, Texas
- Richard M. Bendix, Schwartz Cooper Chtd.; Chicago
- Christine H. Black, Robinson Brog Leinwand Greene Genovese & Gluck PC; New York
- Elizabeth Bohn, Jorden Burt LLP; Miami
- Dr. Eberhard Braun, Achern, Germany
- Jason S. Brookner, Andrews Kurth LLP; Dallas
- Howard S. Cohen, Griffin Financial Group LLC; New York
- Anthony Collura , Morris Anderson & Associates Ltd.; Los Angeles
- Melanie L. Cyganowski, Ret. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Greenberg Traurig; New York
- Colin T. Darke, Mirick, O'Connell LLP; Worcester, Mass.
- Laura L. DiBiase, Kurtzman Carson Consultants LLC; Los Angeles
- Mark J. Elmore, Haynes and Boone LLP; Dallas
- Michael D. Fielding, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP; Kansas City
- Jay S. Fleischman, Fleischman Law PC; New York
- Patricia B. Fugée, Roetzel & Andress; Toledo, Ohio
- Robert Furr, Furr and Cohen PA; Boca Raton, Fla.
- Eugene J. Geekie Jr., Schiff Hardin LLP; Chicago
- Wayne Greenwald, Wayne Greenwald PC, New York
- Ira L. Herman, Thompson & Knight LLP; New York
- William C. Heuer, Bingham McCutchen LLP; Hartford, Conn.
- Christopher Jones, Leclair Ryan, A Professional Corporation; Richmond, Va.
- Sheon Karol, Mesirow Financial Consulting; New York
- William S. Katchen, Duane Morris LLP; Newark, N.J.
- Kevin D. Kempner, Stamford, Conn.
- The Honourable Mr. Justice Stanley J. Kershman, Ontario Superior Court of Justice; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Linda W. Knight, Gullett, Sanford, Robinson & Martin PLLC; Nashville, Tenn
- David P. Leibowitz, Leibowitz Law Center; Waukegan, Ill.
- Mark E. Leipold, Gould & Ratner LLP; Chicago
- Eduardo Martinez, Bogados SC; Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico
- Lyndel Anne Mason, Euless, Texas
- Evelyn J. Meltzer, Pepper Hamilton LLP; Wilmington, Del.
- Steven R. Neuner Esq., Neuner and Ventura LLP; Marlton, N.J.
- Alec P. Ostrow, Stevens & Lee PC; New York
- John L. Palmer, NachmanHaysBrownstein Inc.; Narberth, Penn.
- Edward A. Phillips, Amper, Politziner & Mattia PC; Edison, N.J.
- David N. Ravin, Wolff & Samson PC; West Orange, N.J.
- Robert G. Richardson, Jackson Walker LLP; Dallas
- John C. Smiley, Lindquist & Vennum PLLP; Denver
- Paul Douglas Stewart, Jr., Milling Benson Woodward LLP; Baton Rouge, La.
- Charles M. Tatelbaum, Adorno & Yoss; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- K. Scott Van Meter, Aon Consulting; Houston.
- Melanie T. Vardaman, Harris Jernigan & Geno PLLC; Ridgeland, Ma.
- Irving E. Walker, Saul Ewing LLP; Baltimore
- Bruce L. Weiner, Rosenberg Musso & Weiner LLP; Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Marcus Wide, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Colin W. Wied, C.W. Wied, Professional Corp.; San Diego, Calif.
- William Wolfson Esq., William S. Wolfson, LLC; Flemington, N.J.