James E. Monroe Jr., a 60-year-old resident of Daniels, West Virginia, was sentenced to three years of federal probation with six months of home detention for money laundering. The sentencing took place in Beckley.
Court documents and statements reveal that Monroe filed for personal bankruptcy on February 25, 2022. He was required to submit accurate information about his assets and financial affairs as part of the process. However, Monroe admitted to selling a collection of over 10,000 sports trading cards after filing for bankruptcy without disclosing the existence or sale of these assets in his filings. He sold the collection online to a friend in order to convert it into cash and conceal the source of the proceeds.
Monroe also acknowledged failing to disclose other significant financial activities. These included not reporting the December 2021 sale of his marital home in Glade Springs for $525,000, omitting a retirement account, two loans secured by whole-life insurance policy equity, and a rented storage unit containing property belonging to the bankruptcy estate. Additionally, he falsely claimed that his minor daughter lived with him as a dependent.
United States Attorney Moore Capito announced the sentence and praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for its work on the case. The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office referred this case for prosecution. The United States Trustee Program is part of the Department of Justice and works to ensure integrity and efficiency within the bankruptcy system.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed Monroe's sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage handled prosecution.
Further details can be found on PACER by searching Case No. 5:24-cr-121 through external links provided by government websites.
