Love During Lockup’s LaTisha Collier is finally admitting that her Boss Tax and Accounting Services isn’t bringing in a lot of money. In fact, LaTisha says her business “incurred a large debt over the past year” in a desperate attempt to not have the company’s recent bankruptcy filing dismissed.
Hop on down to the “LaTisha’s Response” subheader to skip the recap and get right to the latest!
In case you missed it, LaTisha faxed in an incomplete bankruptcy filing for her business on December 27. That is the same day her business’s Davenport landlord won an eviction lawsuit for unpaid rent. The landlord was scheduled to take possession of the office on January 2, but the judge granted Boss T&A an automatic stay due to the bankruptcy filing.
This was the second bankruptcy filing for Boss Tax and Accounting Services in less than 16 months. LaTisha faxed in a nearly identical incomplete bankruptcy form in September of 2022, roughly one week after the business was sued by their previous Davenport landlord for unpaid rent. That bankruptcy filing was eventually dismissed because LaTisha’s business did not have legal representation and because LaTisha’s didn’t pay the filing fee.
In addition to her business filing for bankruptcy twice since 2022, LaTisha has filed for bankruptcy herself seven times. The first filing went through, but the next six were dismissed. When asked in an interview last year why she filed so many times, LaTisha openly admitted she would file for bankruptcy to stall creditors. She also admitted in the interview that what she did was bankruptcy fraud.
The Trustee handling Boss T&A’s most recent bankruptcy was well aware of LaTisha’s history of filing for bankruptcy as a stall tactic. She was also aware of LaTisha’s interview and the previous bankruptcy filing by Boss T&A.
The Trustee filed a motion to dismiss the most recent bankruptcy on January 10. In the motion, the Trustee called out LaTisha for filing again without correcting any of the errors that resulted in the previous Boss T&A bankruptcy being dismissed.
The Trustee also accused LaTisha of filing in “bad faith” in an attempt to delay or avoid eviction. From the motion:
Additional cause to dismiss exists resulting from Debtor and its Principal’s bad faith abuse of the bankruptcy process. The circumstances surrounding the current filing and prior filings associated with Debtor and its owner are indicative that the case was filed in bad faith.
…Debtor and its Principal’s habitual and intentional non-compliance with the Bankruptcy Code, Rules, as well as this Court’s prior orders, evidence that the purpose of this filing is solely to frustrate Debtor’s landlord’s ability to evict Debtor from its business location. Ms. Collier is clearly attempting to game the system to use the bankruptcy process for purposes for which it was not intended, thereby causing harm and delay to Debtor’s creditor seeking to exercise state law remedies.
Accordingly, the UST submits that dismissal of this case, with prejudice, is in the best interests of creditors and the estate.
Because of LaTisha’s history, the Trustee asked the judge to lessen the amount of time allowed for a response. The Trustee also asked the judge “to enjoin Debtor from future bankruptcy filings for a period certain.” That would mean LaTisha (and her business) would be barred from filing for bankruptcy for a certain amount of time.
The judge presiding over the bankruptcy case granted the Trustee’s shortened deadline request, which meant LaTisha had until Wednesday, January 17 to file a response.
LaTisha’s response
LaTisha Collier filed her response at the last minute on Wednesday, January 17. The response was just a single paragraph requesting more time and assuring the Court that Boss Tax and Accounting Services is truly in need of bankruptcy assistance.
Here is LaTisha’s full response:
Opposition To Motion To Dismiss and Request For More Time To File Schedules
I am opposing this motion to dismiss the bankruptcy case. There is no bankruptcy fraud. Boss Tax has every intention on completing a successful bankruptcy case and is currently working on the correct schedules to be filed. Boss Tax has incurred a large debt over the past year and would like to reorganize the business and finances. We are asking the courts to grant more time to get all documents filed and dismiss the motion for dismiss.
LaTisha Collier
Owner
LaTisha made no mention of getting an attorney to help, which is required for a corporate bankruptcy filing. I assume having an attorney also sign (or even write) the response would have gone a long way toward convincing the court she plans to legitimately follow through.
I’m fascinated by this case and the situation LaTisha has put herself in, and I am extremely curious what the Court’s response will be. I assume the judge will provide a deadline for LaTisha to get an attorney, file all of the required documents, and pay the filing fee. I also assume that deadline will be very soon.
Plus, what the judge will have to say about Boss Tax and Accounting Service’s most recent eviction, which was stalled at the last minute due to the previous, incomplete bankruptcy filing? Will the landlord be allowed to take possession of the property? Or will LaTisha’s half-a**ed initial filing be honored in terms of meriting a stay?
Stay tuned!
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com
