As a responsible party (stemming from an SBA Note or SBA Unconditional Guarantee) for an SBA loan default or SBA debt that has been transferred to the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service, you may want to consider challenging your liability for the alleged debt by investigating whether the original seller of the small business that you purchased (through an SBA-guaranteed loan) may have engaged in fraud or misrepresentation in the sale and purchase of the subject small business based on inflated or fraudulent financials.
Case in Point: U.S. v. Rood
Todd E. Rood was the owner of Rood Machine & Engineering when he falsified documents in 2015 and 2016 to make his business look more attractive than it actually was. By altering his business’s bookkeeping records, Rood inflated its income by approximately $583,827 and lowered its liabilities by reclassifying them.
Rood, who pleaded guilty to SBA loan application fraud, admitted making false statements to the buyers’ bank in order to defraud the buyers and their financial institution – which was a participating SBA lender. The loss to the SBA lender and the small business buyers amounted to approximately $1,347,608.
Rood’s company was purchased for $2.05 million based on the fraudulent financial documents. A $1.74 million loan used to purchase the small business was guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to court documents, the buyers of Rood’s small business also undertook a "quick sale" of their home in order to buy Rood Machine & Engineering on the timetable set forth by Rood, who falsely claimed to have terminal colon cancer. The buyers incurred a loss of $40,000 on their home as a result.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Rood must pay the company's buyers $262,000 in restitution for their closing costs as well as a required cash infusion into the business.
Rood was sentenced to four years in a federal prison without parole. Rood also has been ordered by the federal court to pay $1,347,608 in restitution and a money judgment to the government of $1,207,979, which covers his profit from the sale.
To view a copy of Rood’s Plea Agreement, click here
If you are facing an SBA loan default involving an SBA Unconditional Guarantee or a Treasury/Bureau of Fiscal Service debt problem, contact us today for a FREE initial consultation with an experienced SBA or Treasury workout attorney at 1-888-756-9969
We can analyze your SBA loan, Treasury/BFS debt or Private Collection Agency problem and advise you on a range of potential solutions.
This presentation contains images that were used under a Creative Commons License. Click here to see the full list of images and attributions:
Millions of Dollars in SBA Debts Resolved via Offer in Compromise and Negotiated Repayment Agreements without our Clients filing for Bankruptcy or Facing Home Foreclosure
Millions of Dollars in Treasury Debts Defended Against via AWG Hearings, Treasury Offset Program Resolution, Cross-servicing Disputes, Private Collection Agency Representation, Compromise Offers and Negotiated Repayment Agreements
Our Attorneys are Authorized by the Agency Practice Act to Represent Federal Debtors Nationwide before the SBA, The SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals, the Treasury Department, and the Bureau of Fiscal Service.
Client personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan to help with a relative’s new business venture. After the business failed, Treasury was able to secure a recurring Treasury Offset Program (TOP) levy against his monthly Social Security Benefits based on the claim that he owed over $1.2 million dollars. We initially submitted a Cross-Servicing Dispute, but then, prepared and filed an Appeals Petition with the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (SBA OHA). As a result of our efforts, we were able to convince the SBA to not only terminate the claimed debt of $1.2 million dollars against our client (without him having to file bankruptcy) but also refund the past recurring amounts that were offset from his Social Security Benefits in connection with the TOP levy.
The client personally guaranteed an SBA 7(a) loan for $150,000. His business revenue decreased significantly causing default and an accelerated balance of $143,000. The client received the SBA's Official 60-day notice with the debt scheduled for referral to the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service for aggressive collection in less than 26 days. We were hired to represent him, respond to the SBA's Official 60-day notice, and prevent enforced collection by the Treasury and the Department of Justice. We successfully negotiated a structured workout with an extended maturity date that included a reduction of the 14% interest rate and removal of substantial collection fees (30% of the loan balance), effectively saving the client over $242,000.
Clients obtained an SBA 7(a) loan for $324,000 to buy a small business and its facility. The business and real estate had an appraisal value of $318,000 at the time of purchase. The business ultimately failed but the participating lender abandoned the business equipment and real estate collateral even though it had valid security liens. As a result, the lender recouped nearly nothing from the pledged collateral, leaving the business owners liable for the deficiency balance. The SBA paid the lender the 7(a) guaranty money and was assigned ownership of the debt, including the right to collect. However, the clients never received the SBA Official 60-Day Notice and were denied the opportunity to negotiate an Offer in Compromise (OIC) or a Workout directly with the SBA before being transferred to Treasury's Bureau of Fiscal Service, which added an additional $80,000 in collection fees. Treasury garnished and offset the clients' wages, federal salary and social security benefits. When the clients tried to negotiate with Treasury by themselves, they were offered an unaffordable repayment plan which would have caused severe financial hardship. Clients subsequently hired the Firm to litigate an Appeals Petition before the SBA Office & Hearings Appeals (OHA) challenging the legal enforceability and amount of the debt. The Firm successfully negotiated a term OIC that was approved by the SBA Office of General Counsel, saving the clients approximately $205,000.
.jpg)
