Tuscola Contractor Sentenced for Fraud Related to Central Illinois Home Building Business

Urbana, Ill. - A Tuscola, Illinois, man, Aaron Gillison, 40, of the 800 block of Beecher Drive, was sentenced on September 13, 2024, to one day in prison, a term of three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $76,995 in restitution.

Gillison had previously pleaded guilty to the offense of giving a false oath or account in a bankruptcy proceeding, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 152(2).

Gillison initially came to the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation following a series of complaints from Central Illinois homeowners to various local law enforcement agencies. One impacted homeowner won a civil judgement against Gillison and his company.

At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Court Judge Colin S. Bruce, the government presented evidence that, at a bankruptcy proceeding, Gillion falsely claimed that he had not used business funds for personal expenses, nor had he co-mingled client funds with his own personal accounts. Further evidence showed the FBI investigation uncovered that, in the twelve months leading up to his business declaring bankruptcy, Gillison had transferred approximately $65,000 from a business account into his personal account, wrote nearly $22,000 in checks to himself from the business account, and spent more than $10,000 in business funds on personal purchases, such as fishing gear and outdoor equipment.

During the sentencing, Judge Bruce noted that Gillison had no criminal history prior to this conduct. He also noted that Gillison was employed and would be able to pay the restitution while he maintained employment.

The maximum penalty for giving a false oath or account in a bankruptcy proceeding are not more than five years in the Bureau of Prisons, not more than a three-year term of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with assistance of several local law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Bertrand represented the United States in the prosecution.