MADISON, WI—John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cynthia Barlow, 55, Barron, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to two years of probation for bankruptcy fraud. Judge Conley also fined Barlow $2,400.

On April 2, 2014, Barlow pleaded guilty to concealing assets in bankruptcy. She concealed from the bankruptcy trustee $18,977 in cash that she had withdrawn from her bank account and hid at her residence shortly before filing bankruptcy.

Barlow also made large payments shortly before filing bankruptcy to favored creditors, including a payment of $12,000 to two family members. She further lied under oath about her assets during the Meeting of Creditors.

The bankruptcy trustee discovered Barlow’s lies only after making a special request for bank records, which showed that Barlow had made the large withdrawals.

U.S. Attorney Vaudreuil praised the work of the bankruptcy trustee who discovered Barlow’s fraud. He also reiterated his office’s commitment to prosecute those debtors who abuse the bankruptcy process by choosing to hide their assets.

The charges against Barlow were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Trustee’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin.