Alexandria Man Indicted for Concealing Assets and Making False Statements in Bankruptcy Case
Edward Joseph Sieja faces federal charges in an unresolved criminal case alleging he hid properties, income, and assets during a $3.5 million bankruptcy filing.
By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 9:21 a.m. ET
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Louisiana has indicted 47-year-old Edward Joseph Sieja of Alexandria on multiple bankruptcy fraud charges, according to an August 11, 2026, announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. The case remains open, pending, and undecided at the charging stage in federal district court, with no trial or verdict having taken place.
Under federal law,
According to the official indictment record (Case No. 1:26-cr-00313-01), returned on August 5, 2026, Sieja was with multiple counts of Concealing Assets in Bankruptcy Filings, Making False Statements Under Penalty of Perjury, and Perjury. If convicted on all counts, Sieja faces up to 35 years in federal prison.
Court records indicate that Sieja filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition on August 24, 2021, seeking to discharge more than $3.5 million in debt. Prosecutors allege that prior to and throughout the bankruptcy process, Sieja used undisclosed commission income from Louisiana construction contracts to purchase and transfer multiple Alexandria properties in another person's name while secretly funding and orchestrating the transactions.
The indictment further alleges that Sieja omitted significant assets from his filings, including bank accounts at two financial institutions, more than $1 million in gross income, several business interests, and a donated vehicle valued at $28,000, despite certifying under oath and penalty of perjury that his disclosures were true and complete.
United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller, who serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Western District of Louisiana, emphasized the integrity of bankruptcy proceedings in announcing the charges.
“Bankruptcy laws are meant to provide honest, good-faith debtors a fresh start—not to be exploited by those who seek to hide assets and deceive the court,” Keller said. “We will aggressively pursue individuals who attempt to abuse and manipulate our bankruptcy system for personal gain.”
The ongoing case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Trustee Program, and IRS – Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Earl M. Campbell and Amy J. Miller are prosecuting the matter with assistance from Legal Assistant Stephanie Stewart.
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