Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-canb-1_05-ap-01136/USCOURTS-canb-1_05-ap-01136-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Abayomi Onagbesan
Defendant
Timothy W. Hoffman
Plaintiff
Lisa C. Blazei
Defendant
Onas International, Inc
Defendant

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UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

In re

ABAYOMI ONAGBESAN, No. 05-12295

Debtor(s).

______________________________________/

TIMOTHY W. HOFFMAN, Trustee,

 Plaintiff(s),

v. A.P. No. 05-1136

LISA C. BLAZEI,

 

 Defendant(s).

_______________________________________/

 Memorandum After Trial

_________________

At his 341 hearing, Chapter 7 debtor Abayomi Onagbesan told the trustee, plaintiff Timothy

Hoffman, under oath, that he had been married four about four years and that a home he had shared with

his wife, defendant Lisa Blazei, had been purchased before they were married with her separate funds

from an inheritance. These statements were false. The true facts were that he had been married for

about nine years, his wife had no inheritance, and that the property had been purchased during the

marriage. In fact, title had been taken by the debtor and his wife as community property.

Entered on Docket 

November 22, 2006

GLORIA L. FRANKLIN, CLERK 

U.S BANKRUPTCY COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Case: 05-01136 Doc# 25 Filed: 11/22/06 Entered: 11/22/06 11:33:55 Page 1 of 3 
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In 2003, the Onagbesan and his wife sold the “inheritance” house and purchased a new home in

Novato, California. Title to this home was taken in Blazei’s name alone, because a judgment had been

entered against Onagbesan. He filed his Chapter 7 petition on September 1, 2005, scheduling no interest

in real property. Two months later, Balzei transferred title to Onas International, Inc., a shell

corporation controlled by Onagbesan. 

Blazei has entered into a stipulation with Hoffman whereby the property has been recovered for

the benefit of the bankruptcy estate. The only remaining issue in this adversary proceeding is whether

Onagbesan should receive his discharge.

Onagbesan has come forward with innocent explanations as to why his testimony to the trustee

was in error. These innocent explanations might be true. However, the court finds it much more likely

that the testimony was knowingly and intentionally false, given with the intent to convince the trustee that

Onagbesan had no interest in the Novato residence or the proceeds of the sale of the prior residence.

Numerous factors lead the court to its conclusion. Onagbesan, although apparently foreign-born,

appears intelligent, educated, articulate, fluent in English, and well-versed in property law. The

questions the trustee asked were unambiguous, and the answers Onagbesan gave were precise. The false

answers went to the heart of the sole asset of value in the case. Aside from excuses for his false

statements, Onagbesan chose to defend this case by attacking the validity of the lawsuit against him even

though judgment had been entered against him, indicating to the court that he felt justified in manipulating

the facts of his case because he believed the judgment against him was unjust. Moreover, his use of the

shell corporation evinces misplaced cleverness, not honesty.

The court concludes that Onagbesan knowingly and fraudulently gave the trustee false testimony

under oath in connection with this case and with the intent to deceive the trustee into thinking the estate

had no claims against the Novato real property. His discharge will accordingly be denied pursuant to §

727(a)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code. Hoffman shall recover his costs of suit.

This memorandum constitutes the court’s findings and conclusions pursuant to FRCP 52(a) and

FRBP 7052. Counsel for Hoffman shall submit an appropriate form of judgment forthwith.

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Dated: November 22, 2006

SAlan Jaroslovsky

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge 

 

Case: 05-01136 Doc# 25 Filed: 11/22/06 Entered: 11/22/06 11:33:55 Page 3 of 3