A former Kittery woman pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland to two counts of bankruptcy fraud for failing to disclose $70,000 worth of property and trying to conceal $125,000 more last year.

Rana J. Clarizio, 46, who now lives in Oak Brook, Illinois, tried to hide or incorrectly report lavish purchases and gifts including a Mercedes-Benz sedan, a Rolex watch, jewelry, artwork and resort memberships when she filed for bankruptcy on March 21, 2014, in Maine, according to a prosecution document.

Clarizio then lied under oath on May 2, 2014, during a meeting with creditors that focused on her 2013 sale of a house in North Hampton, New Hampshire, for $400,000 one year and one day before filing for bankruptcy, Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Clark said in the document.

“During her testimony and in her accounting, however, the defendant failed to disclose that on November 21, 2013, she had transferred $100,000 of the sale proceeds to a friend in Florida and thereafter spent the money. She also failed to disclose that on January 6, 2014, $25,437 of the sale proceeds held by the friend were used to purchase a 2010 Mercedes C300 as a gift for another friend,” Clark wrote.

Clarizio pleaded guilty to the charges after waiving her right to have the case against her presented to a federal grand jury. At her court hearing, U.S. District Judge George Singal ruled that she may remain free on an unsecured $15,000 bond while the case remains pending.

Scott Dolan can be contacted at 791-6304 or at:

sdolan@pressherald.com

Twitter: @scottddolan

Copy the Story Link

Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.