Hammocks White Collar Crime Lawyer

Now that the pandemic has ended, the federal government is actively pursuing perpetrators of PPP loan fraud. If you have been contacted by a federal agency regarding PPP loan fraud in The Hammocks, contact a Florida fraud defense lawyer.

THE HAMMOCKS MORTGAGE FRAUD CASES

South Florida’s red-hot real estate markets often yield tremendous profits for savvy investors. The state also sees its share of mortgage fraud. Any deceptive act that occurs during the mortgage loan process can be classified as mortgage fraud. There are two main types of mortgage fraud, both of which occur in The Hammocks and other communities in Florida.

Fraud for housing occurs when a mortgage loan applicant intentionally provides false information on the application. Some examples of commonly falsified information on mortgage applications are:

• the applicant’s employment details
• the applicant’s assets
• the applicant’s name
• the applicant’s other personal details

People who make false statements on the mortgage application generally do so with the objective of obtaining better finance terms on the loan, a larger loan amount, or to get approved for a loan for which the applicant may not otherwise be approved. It is not uncommon for people who accidentally provide false information on a mortgage application. To establish a charge of mortgage loan fraud, the prosecutor must prove the defendant intentionally made a false representation.

Some investors use straw buyers to get better finance terms on mortgage loans for investment properties. Because banks often extend more favorable terms to buyers who plan to buy a property for use as their personal residence, the straw buyer misrepresents his or her intent. When the straw buyer closes on the purchase transaction, the straw buyer immediately transfers the property to the investor.

Fraud for profit is a deceptive scheme that involves people who work in the real estate industry. For example, real estate agents, brokers, appraisers, and mortgage loan officers sometimes work together to artificially inflate the value of a property. When an interested buyer closes on the transaction to buy the property at the inflated price, the industry insiders who worked together on the scheme divide the illegal profit amongst themselves.

MEDICARE FRAUD

Medicare fraud is a type of healthcare fraud that targets the government-operated Medicare program. Medicare provides health insurance benefits to seniors and other people who have certain health conditions. Healthcare service providers and suppliers of medical supplies and equipment are most often the perpetrators of Medicare fraud. The most common fraudulent activity in Florida Medicare fraud cases involves falsifying documents to obtain an illegal or unauthorized payment from the Medicare program. Because Medicare is funded by the federal government and by states, people who are accused of Medicare fraud may be charged in both federal and state court.

Ponzi Scheme charges in The Hammocks

Ponzi schemes often appear to be investment opportunities finance professionals only share with the members of their innermost circle of clients, family members, and friends. In fact, the people who run Ponzi schemes may have legitimate credentials in insurance and finance. The telltale sign of a Ponzi scheme is the promise of an unusually high rate of return and minimal or no risk.

Early victims of a Ponzi scheme may receive statements and be able to withdraw from what appears to be profits from a legitimate investment. After early investors are convinced that the scam is a legitimate investment, they are more inclined to recruit people to invest in the scam. Ponzi schemes depend on the schemer’s ability to continue to recruit new victims. As the scheme continues, the scammer uses the victims’ money to fund his or her lavish lifestyle, which serves as a marketing tool for convincing potential victims of the success of the scheme.

Victims of Ponzi schemes realize they have been scammed when they are unable to reach the schemer. By then, the scammer has changed his or her contact information and likely left town to evade capture by the police.

In some cases, Ponzi schemers rent office space and employ people who work in the office. During an investigation, federal and state law enforcement agencies may investigate the person who operates the scheme and the people who appear to work for or with the scammer. If you have been identified as a person of interest in a Ponzi scheme, contact a white collar crimes defense attorney before communicating with the police.

The Hammocks FL embezzlement cases

Embezzlement cases are theft cases that are based on the existence of a fiduciary duty. Federal law defines embezzlement as the fraudulent appropriation of property by a person to whom such property has been entrusted. In Florida, embezzlement cases are prosecuted under the state’s general theft statute. Penalties for embezzlement depend on the value of the property for which the defendant is convicted of embezzling. Examples of embezzlement include:

• a government worker using taxpayer money without authorization to secretly build a new deck at his or her personal home
• a corporate executive redirecting money out of the corporation’s employee retirement accounts
• a parking lot owner hiding customers’ cars and selling them overseas
• a treasurer of a nationwide non-profit organization misappropriating the organization’s money

A white collar crimes defense lawyer may challenge an embezzlement charge by proving the defendant’s good faith belief that he or she used the property in a manner that was authorized. If you have been accused of embezzlement, consult a white collar crimes lawyer in The Hammocks to request a case evaluation.

Federal and state racketeering charges

Most people refer to racketeering as “RICO,” as referenced by the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act of 1970. Florida was among the first few states to enact their own RICO statutes after passage of the federal RICO Act.

Racketeering is the act of conducting a fraudulent or otherwise illegal business. Some examples of rackets are:

• illegal gambling operations
• prostitution rings
• human trafficking
• illegal drug organizations

Prosecutors use state and federal racketeering statutes to charge members of organized crime rings and other criminal enterprises. Florida’s RICO statute goes one step further than the federal statute by allowing state prosecutors to charge entire criminal organizations all at once without having to target the individual members one by one.

When facing a racketeering charge, it is important to choose an attorney who is prepared to defend you in state court and in federal court if necessary. Racketeering is often a federal crime because criminal organizations often engage in activities that occur within the interstate and international streams of commerce.

The Hammocks defense lawyer for white collar cases

Anyone from any background can be a white collar criminal. Moreover, white collar criminal investigations can impact people who operate white collar schemes, people who conduct transactions with them, their employees, and even their friends and family members. An accusation of a white collar offense can directly affect your career prospects. Therefore, if you have been contacted by law enforcement for an interview in relation to a white collar crime, you should retain an experienced and reputable white collar crimes defense lawyer. Retaining legal counsel before speaking to the police can protect you from self-incrimination and other infringements on your legal rights that may lead to wrongful charges and possibly conviction. Contact Joffe Law today to learn more about our proven track record in white collar criminal cases in The Hammocks and surrounding communities in South Florida.