Linda Ferris, Bankruptcy Fraud Concealment, PA 2013

Linda Ferris, 55, of Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, is staring down federal charges after allegedly lying under oath about her assets during a Chapter 7 bankruptcy hearing in 2013. Prosecutors say Ferris concealed approximately $194,000—money she received but never reported—while claiming full financial disclosure in Wilkes-Barre.

The criminal information, filed in U.S. District Court in Scranton, accuses Ferris of knowingly making false statements during her bankruptcy proceedings. Despite testifying in September 2013 that her filings were accurate and complete, investigators say she knowingly omitted the $194,000, a sum that should have been available to creditors.

The case was uncovered through a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Trustee’s Office—agencies that routinely target financial deception in bankruptcy cases. The probe revealed discrepancies so significant they triggered federal criminal charges, not just civil penalties.

Assistant United States Attorney Evan Gotlob is handling the prosecution. A plea agreement signed by Ferris has been submitted to the court, though it remains subject to judicial approval. No trial date has been set.

If convicted, Ferris faces up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release. The final sentence will depend on federal guidelines, which weigh the severity of the offense, the defendant’s background, and the need for deterrence and public protection.

As with all federal cases, Ferris is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Indictments and criminal informations are not evidence of guilt—just the starting gun in a legal process where the government must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.