Tucson-based UNS Energy Corp., parent of Tucson Electric Power Co., was the target of a failed hoax in which someone filed fraudulent bankruptcy papers on the company’s behalf.
A fraudulent Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition was filed in UNS Energy Corp.’s name Jan. 21 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tucson, with forged signatures of company executives. A similar filing was made Feb. 6 in the name of “Tucson Energy Power Corporation,” with TEP and other UNS units named as affiliates.
The initial case was dismissed on Jan. 29 and the second a week later, after UNS attorneys submitted affidavits saying the filings were fraudulent, court records show.
Though there was little concern the cases would progress, UNS Energy acted quickly to halt the hoax, spokesman Joe Barrios said, adding that company operations and customer service were unaffected.
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Though TEP and other utilities are periodically the subject of billing scams, Barrios said the bogus bankruptcy filings were a first in his seven years with the company.
UNS Energy, which has agreed to be acquired by Canada-based utility operator Fortis Inc., remains financially strong and the deal is moving forward with shareholder and regulatory approvals, Barrios said.
Federal officials including the U.S. Marshals Service, which investigates bankruptcy fraud, could not be reached to confirm the status of any investigation of the fraudulent filings.