Commentary on the Judgment of the Court of Cassation, Criminal Section V, No. 36585 of 2024: Liability for Fraudulent Bankruptcy

The ruling of the Court of Cassation on October 2, 2024, No. 36585, provides important insights into the liability of administrators in cases of fraudulent bankruptcy. In this case, the administrator of a construction company was convicted for failing to fulfill her fiscal and social security obligations, accumulating a debt that led to the company's bankruptcy. The Court rejected the appellant's appeal, confirming criminal liability for the offense under Article 223 of the bankruptcy law.

The Liability of Administrators

The Court clarified that, to establish fraudulent bankruptcy, it is not necessary to demonstrate a direct intention to cause the bankruptcy. It is sufficient to prove that fraudulent actions contributed to creating a foreseeable state of insolvency. In particular, these actions may include:

  • Systematic omission of fiscal and social security obligations;
  • Accumulation of debts to social security entities and the tax authorities;
  • Management decisions that harm the economic health of the company.
In the presence of a "double conformity" even in the reasoning process, the appellate judge is not required to conduct a thorough analysis of all the parties' deductions.

The Court's Reasoning

The Court of Cassation stated that the prolonged failure to meet fiscal and contribution obligations by the administrator constitutes fraudulent behavior, as it increased the company's debt exposure and made its insolvency foreseeable. It was emphasized that the omission behavior is to be considered an integral part of the fraudulent actions, thus confirming the administrator's liability. Case law reiterated that awareness of engaging in actions harmful to the economic health of the company is sufficient to establish intent.

Conclusions

Judgment No. 36585 of 2024 highlights the importance of due diligence by administrators in managing corporate finances. It is essential that executives are aware of the consequences of their management choices, particularly in an economic crisis context. Decisions that may seem advantageous in the short term can lead to serious liabilities in the long term, as demonstrated by this case. Administrators must always act in compliance with current regulations to avoid incurring criminal and civil penalties.

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