BENTON — A Sesser man pled guilty Wednesday to bankruptcy fraud charges pending against him in federal court in Benton.

Acting U.S. Attorney James Porter says Scott L. Thompson was indicted on Feb. 2 of this year as part of an effort to crackdown on those who commit fraud during the course of bankruptcy proceeding in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

The indictment charged Thompson with one count of concealing assets and three counts of fraudulently withholding records in a bankruptcy case. In pleading guilty, Thompson admitted that he concealed from the Bankruptcy Court a settlement of just over $28,100 he received for a worker’s compensation claim. In addition, Thompson acknowledged that he withheld copies of his federal and state tax returns despite being ordered to turn them over by the Bankruptcy Court.

Under federal law, tax refunds in amounts above certain thresholds must be paid to the Bankruptcy Court and used to pay back the creditors. Thompson’s chapter 13 bankruptcy case was filed and litigated in the United States Bankruptcy Court in Benton.

Thompson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Benton, Illinois. Each count of bankruptcy fraud is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, not more than three years of supervised release following the prison term and restitution.