Federal lawmakers signed the Racketeer Influenced and Corruptions Act (RICO Act) into law in 1978. Many states have enacted similar laws since that time. You may find yourself facing RICO charges if you band together with others to set up a business aimed at...
Federal Criminal Defense
Understanding kickbacks and why they’re illegal
Sometimes people do business in ways that may seem normal or at least harmless but that actually violate the law. In other cases, people take positions where their predecessors engaged in these illegal actions, and the same is expected of them. One of these illegal...
National Rifle Association faces fraud charges while in bankruptcy
If you’ve been following the news, you may have seen that the National Rifle Association is facing fraud charges. The lawsuit against the NRA is seeking to dissolve the organization if it is found to be true. The NRA immediately requested that the lawsuit be...
Domino’s case thrown out by New York Supreme Court
If you’re facing fraud charges, it’s very important to take steps to defend yourself. Those charges could lead to serious penalties, time in prison, high fines and more. A good defense can make a difference and may result in your case being dismissed. For example, a...
Former airport workers stole $6 million in luxury goods
Three former workers at JFK Airport were arrested for using inside knowledge to steal $6 million in Chanel, Gucci and Prada shipments. In addition to the three airport workers, three others were also indicted for their role in stealing and reselling everything from...
How often do federal criminal defendants get convicted?
The U.S. Attorney's Office generally must first present a case in front of a grand jury and secure an indictment before moving forward in filing federal criminal charges against a defendant. One of the reasons they have this system in place is so prosecutors can feel...
When can police search my phone?
If you come under suspicion for a serious crime, whether for health care fraud, drug offenses or embezzlement, at some point police may request to search your phone as part of their investigation. However, just as when police may ask to search your residence, you...
Are spaces outside of your home subject to warrantless searches?
When the police want to build a case against you, gathering evidence and surveillance are often crucial to that process. You may know that officers can theoretically go through your trash and recycling when you bring them out to the curb. You may also know that police...