Dallas Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Lying in Bankruptcy Filings

DALLAS — A Dallas woman who was convicted at trial earlier this year on felony offenses stemming from the filing of false bankruptcy documents, was sentenced yesterday, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. 

Julie Grant, a/k/a Juliana Jacobs Grant, Juliana Okwue Jacobs Grant, and Juliana Okwuenu, 50, was sentenced to serve 15 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay.  She must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on December 1, 2015.

Grant, using two different Social Security Numbers, filed voluntary bankruptcy petitions on October 3, 2008, March 2, 2009, July 6, 2009, December 16, 2009, and August 9, 2011.  In some of the petitions, Grant was represented by counsel, and in some, she acted pro se (without counsel.)

In the August 9, 2011, petition, Grant fraudulently concealed two bankruptcy cases she filed in the Northern District of Texas in October 2008 and March 2009.  Grant also falsely stated in the December 16, 2009, petition and the August 9, 2011, petition, that she had only used one Social Security Number, when, in fact, she had used at least one other Social Security Number in other bankruptcy petitions that she knew she was obligated to disclose.

This case is one of several felony prosecutions of bankruptcy-related crimes generated by the Bankruptcy Fraud Initiative within the Northern District of Texas.  As another example, in late January 2015, a Waxahachie, Texas, man, James Derek Howard, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison and was ordered to pay restitution after he pleaded guilty to a bankruptcy fraud offense.

Since May 2013, 13 debtors have been charged with various bankruptcy-related criminal offenses.  To date, seven of these defendants have been sentenced, one defendant is pending sentencing, three defendants have filed documents in U.S. District Court indicating they intend to plead guilty, and two defendants are awaiting trial.

The Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration investigated.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis prosecuted.

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