Attorneys decline comment on closed hearing in Bill Bartmann case

Thursday, December 19th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys declined to reveal what happened in a sealed hearing in the fraud indictment case of Commercial Financial Services Inc. co-founder Bill Bartmann.

Bartmann's attorney Patrick Ryan said Wednesday that U.S. attorneys will have until Jan. 17 to file papers on why matters at issue in the hearing should remain sealed.

The defense will have until Jan. 31 to respond, although Ryan said it would be fine with the defense if the information was made public.

Bartmann, 54, was arraigned Dec. 10 on a 58-count indictment alleging conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud and participation in a money-laundering conspiracy.

He is accused of receiving $129.6 million in an investor scam to falsely inflate the credit company's performance.

There is speculation that the 30-minute hearing on Wednesday concentrated on the criminal forfeiture count.

If convicted, Bartmann could be ordered to relinquish property that he may have accumulated through proceeds he received _ directly or indirectly _ from conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. The forfeiture could include a 20-acre site in south Tulsa.