Phoenix Fraud Defense Attorney

Criminal Defense Lawyer in Phoenix, Arizona

Fraud is a very serious accusation and is very broadly defined. It may be charged as a state criminal offense or a federal crime. The act of fraud involves the acquisition of money or property from someone who rightly deserves it by means of deception. Fraud crimes are classified by the manner in which they were committed. If they involved cheating the IRS (Internal Revenue Service), the USPS (United States Postal Service), Medicaid, or a federally insured bank, the crime will be charged at the federal level. Both individuals and businesses may be charged with fraud, but where organizations will only face monetary punishments, individuals can face extremely long prison sentences as well. If you or your business is facing criminal fraud charges, it is crucial to hire a Phoenix fraud attorney who can not only help fight the accusations against you, but also work to protect your professional reputation.

Common Types of Fraud Charges

Two of the most common forms of fraud are mail fraud and wire fraud. Mail fraud charges are used to fight a number of fraud crimes because the mailing does not need to be an important aspect of the crime - it just needs to help further the crime. If mailings were even incidental to a scheme, the mail fraud charge can be used. Wire fraud operates in much the same way except that rather than mailing, the act of wiring needs to be involved at some point. Wire fraud does not just need to involve actual wiring of information; it also can include anything involving television or radio. Your Phoenix criminal defense lawyer can help you fight these common fraud accusations.

Bank fraud is also very common in the current economy. It can occur when someone tries to defraud a financial institution by any means, commonly through the passing of bad checks or by lying on a mortgage/loan application. Credit card fraud and identity theft usually fall into this category as well.

Insurance fraud is another industry-specific form of the crime. This crime is often performed by hospitals and doctors who want to make more for their services than they should be able to claim. It is also often perpetrated by the intentional destruction of property in order to claim insurance funds for the damage. If you have been accused of intentionally destroying your own property in order to defraud your insurance company, a Phoenix criminal lawyer can help you uncover evidence in your favor to show otherwise.

Securities fraud is a common form of fraud for both individuals and companies alike. This crime involves the deception of potential investors. Corporations often commit this act by submitting false financial statements to the public. Insider trading is a common method of securities fraud performed by individuals. Bernard Madoff and Martha Stewart are just a few famed individuals who have been charged with this type of fraud.

Contact a Phoenix, Arizona Fraud Lawyer

If you have been accused of this crime, it is pertinent that you seek out an experienced legal professional as soon as possible. At Suzuki Law Offices, we offer a free initial consultation to help you get started.

Contact our offices today for your consultation with a Phoenix fraud lawyer.