In an unusual move for a divorce case, a Queens judge added Benny Tal’s business partners as defendants in Benny’s divorce action because the three men had colluded to hide Benny’s assets from his wife Michal. As Michal told the New York Post, “It’s like a dirty soap opera. There’s so much fraud going
Small Business
Ne-Yo to Testify in Sports Drink Fraud Trial

Grammy award winner Ne-Yo and several professional athletes are among those set to testify in federal court against the principals of Ohio-based sports drink company Imperial Integrative Health Research & Development. Preston Harrison and Thomas Jackson are charged with defrauding investors out of $9.5 million.…
Husband May Face Jail Time for Hiding Assets in Offshore Companies
A London judge has ordered oil trader Michael Prest to pay his wife over $600,000 in support and alimony payments or face jail time. Prest’s case gained attention last year for a landmark U.K. Supreme Court ruling permitting Yasmin Prest to pierce the corporate veil to reach assets that Michael had placed in trusts held…
Produce Company’s Owner Accused of Hiding Assets and Swindling Strawberry Company out of Millions
Last week, Curtis Harold DeBerry, owner of the Texas-based Progreso Produce Company, was arrested and accused of cheating investors, business partners and banks out of millions of dollars over the past few years. He now faces up to 30 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, DeBerry hid assets by transferring money…
Former Brooklyn Prosecutor Convicted of Fraud on NYC Transit Authority
According to the New York Law Journal, yesterday, a Brooklyn jury convicted former Brooklyn prosecutor, John Headley, of fraud and misconduct over his misuse of New York City Transit Authority funds. Headley’s company, Advance I.M.E. Co., was hired by the transit authority to obtain medical records and expert witnesses for the authority. However, Headley…
Maybe Next Year: Delaying Income to Make Business Seem Worse
PROBLEM:
The debtor shows you some accounts from his business, and business is bad. However, that is because he is putting off booking income this year to make himself look worse-off financially than he is. Once the divorce is final, all that income that should have been booked this year will come rolling in.
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Gone Today, Here Tomorrow: Overpaying Employees To Hide Assets
Debtors who own their own business can hide funds by cutting checks to a nonexistent employee or overpaying a current employee. Once creditors are no longer hunting for funds, the debtor simply voids the checks and pockets the money.
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SOLUTION:
If you have access to the debtor’s business records, then you can unravel…
Putting It Off: Small Businesses Defer Payments Until a Later Period
Debtors who run their own business know there is always a risk their books will be scrutinized. In order to maintain the façade that they have few to no assets, many find ways to hold back revenue. In some instances, debtors arrange to defer payments from clients and/or vendors until a later period. Or,…