Federal authorities say hundreds of people appear to be using phony bankruptcy filings in Chicago to avoid paying full fines on their impounded cars, the Associated Press reported yesterday. The allegations arose in a complaint against one Chicago man arrested yesterday for allegedly accepting $600 to assist filing a false bankruptcy case. The U.S. Attorney's Office has charged Daniel Rankins with bankruptcy fraud, and says authorities suspect at least 1,000 people have made similarly fraudulent bankruptcy filings. The bankruptcy filings weren't followed through on but apparently let many people get their cars from impounds without paying large fines.
