Columbus woman pleads guilty to committing bankruptcy fraud using stolen or fake identities

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Latasha Collins-Ford, 50, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to bankruptcy fraud.

Collins-Ford admitted to renting homes using stolen or fictitious identities, failing to pay rent, and then filing bankruptcy petitions to delay eviction. Once the bankruptcy petitions were discharged or dismissed, Collins-Ford would move on to a new rental home and use a new identity to repeat the scheme.

According to court documents, Collins-Ford committed bankruptcy fraud on at least three occasions between 2019 and 2023 while renting three separate residences and using three different identities.

She pleaded guilty today to bankruptcy fraud, a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.

Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Tyler J. Aagard is representing the United States in this case.

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