More Former Stamp Farms Employees Sentenced For Conspiracy

Andrew and Robert Trowbridge hid a $100,000 pulling tractor and other Stamp Farms assets from the bankruptcy trustee

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Patrick Miles announced today that brothers Andrew and Robert Trowbridge of South Haven, Michigan, were sentenced for conspiring to conceal assets from the Stamp Farms bankruptcy trustee. Robert Trowbridge also made a fraudulent crop insurance claim. U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell sentenced each brother to one year of probation, a $10,000 fine and 200 hours of community service.

          Andrew and Robert Trowbridge hid a high-performance pulling tractor from the Stamp Farms bankruptcy trustee and lied about it during bankruptcy proceedings. The pulling tractor, named "Ghost Rider," was worth more than $100,000. Robert Trowbridge also made a fraudulent claim for approximately $50,000 in crop insurance, and accepted payment of more than $22,000 that was concealed from the bankruptcy trustee. The Trowbridges ultimately returned the pulling tractor, and Robert Trowbridge repaid some of the assets he concealed from the bankruptcy trustee. The Trowbridges told Judge Bell they committed these crimes at Michael Stamp’s request.

          To date, five former Stamp Farms employees have been convicted of federal felonies for their involvement in crimes arising out of their employment there, including Melissa Stamp, who is serving a twenty-one month sentence for hiding approximately $200,000 of bankruptcy assets.

          The U.S. Attorney’s Office is continuing to investigate crimes arising out of the business formerly known as Stamp Farms. Anyone with knowledge of those crimes should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 616-456-2404.

          This case was investigated by the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office, and agents with IRS Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, and the USDA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. MacDonald and Clay Stiffler prosecuted the case.

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