BANKRUPTCY FRAUD.

SEC. 312. BANKRUPTCY FRAUD. (a) In General.— (1) Offenses.—Chapter 9 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (A) by amending sections 152, 153, and 154 to read as follows: “§ 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 108 STAT. 4139claim 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 not more than $5,000, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. “§ 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 not more than $5,000, 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. “§ 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 docu-108 STAT. 4140ments and accounts relating to the affairs of an estate in the person’s charge, shall be fined not more than $5,000 and shall forfeit the person’s office, which shall thereupon become vacant.”; and (B) by adding at the end the following: “§ 156. Knowing disregard of bankruptcy law or rule “(a) Definitions.— In this section— “‘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. “ ‘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 this title. “(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. “§ 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; “(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.”. (2) Technical amendments.—The chapter analysis for chapter 9 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (A) by amending the item relating to section 153 to read as follows: “Sec. 153. Embezzlement against estate.”; and (B) by adding at the end the following new items: “Sec. 156. Knowing disregard of bankruptcy law or rule. “Sec. 157. Bankruptcy fraud.”. (b) Rico.—Section 1961(1)(D) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting “(except a case under section 157 of that title)” after “title 11”.