Fraudulent transfer · Commercial litigation
Fraudulent transfers: how to find them in the public record
A fraudulent transfer (also called a fraudulent conveyance or voidable transaction) is a debtor moving property out of a creditor's reach. Most states follow the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act or its predecessor, the UFTA. The legal test is for counsel; finding the transfers and dating them is record work, and that is what Ledgerhound does.
Signals that money is being hidden
Transfer to an insider
Deeds, titles or membership interests moved to a spouse, relative, officer or affiliated entity — one of the classic badges of fraud.
Nominal or no consideration
A $10 or "love and affection" quitclaim, or a recorded transfer tax that implies a price far below assessed value.
Timing against the claim
Transfers recorded shortly before or after a demand letter, complaint or judgment. The docket and the deed dates tell the story together.
Debtor kept control
The debtor still lives in the house, runs the business or signs for the new LLC. Officer histories and registered-agent overlaps show it.
Start with a dated transfer timeline
Courts weigh transfers against when the claim arose. We pull every recorded transfer in the debtor's footprint and line it up against the litigation docket, so the motion rests on dates, not suspicion.
- County deed and mortgage records with recording dates and stated consideration
- Secretary of State filings: formations, amendments, officer and agent changes
- UCC-1 and UCC-3 filings showing collateral released or re-pledged
- Vehicle, vessel and aircraft title transfers where available
Follow the property into successor entities
A common pattern is a new entity doing the old business: same address, same trade name, same customers. Shared officers, registered agents and addresses link the successor back to the debtor and support alter-ego or successor-liability arguments.
Know the look-back you are working within
Under the UVTA, many claims must be brought within four years of the transfer (or one year after it could reasonably have been discovered, for actual-intent claims). In bankruptcy, a trustee can also reach transfers within two years under Section 548. Limits vary by state — counsel confirms the applicable period; we search the full window.
Deliver exhibits, not a memo
Each transfer arrives with jurisdiction, instrument number, recording date and a retrieval timestamp, ready to attach to a complaint, a motion in aid of execution, or a receiver's report.
Model the economics, then open the file
The estimator shows what a trace returns against its cost. When the numbers work, secure intake takes about five minutes.
Common questions
What is the difference between fraudulent transfer and fraudulent conveyance?
They describe the same idea. "Fraudulent conveyance" is the older term; "fraudulent transfer" came with the UFTA, and the UVTA now calls them "voidable transactions."
Can Ledgerhound prove intent to defraud?
No — intent is a legal conclusion for counsel and the court. We document the facts courts look at, such as insider relationships, timing, consideration and retained control, each tied to a source record.
How far back do you search?
As far as the records allow for the jurisdictions you give us. We typically cover at least the four-year UVTA window and flag anything older that looks relevant.
Do you work for receivers and bankruptcy trustees?
Yes. Receivers and trustees' counsel use the same transfer timeline to pursue clawbacks. The Case Desk plan covers continuous recovery work.
Ledgerhound works only from lawfully accessible records. We locate assets and evidence; enforcement runs through your counsel and the courts. Nothing here is legal advice.