The popularity of the internet has caused fraud schemes to proliferate, from scamming the elderly by pretending to be a loved one in need of money, to scamming the lonely by making them believe they are in a relationship when asked for money. When someone lies about or omits crucial facts about a situation, causing someone else to lose money or other assets, this can be considered fraud.
Fraud is a wobbler crime because it can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony. One of the few first-degree misdemeanors is for writing a bad check for less than $150. Even this seemingly small crime carries up to a year in the Lake County jail. Most fraud crimes are felonies, with high stakes affecting your future. If you need a Lake County fraud lawyer to sort out your situation, the seasoned criminal attorneys of The Umansky Law Firm are here for you.
A prosecutor with the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court and your defense attorney know exactly what elements must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt for you to be convicted of fraud. Criminal cases require a higher standard of proof, because the penalties are greater than in civil cases, in which a defendant must be found guilty by the preponderance of the evidence. The elements of fraud include:
Our attorneys dissect every aspect of the facts we uncover and the explanation you share with us. If the explanation of your need for the money was true, then you were likely not trying to defraud someone. Many fraud cases turn on whether the defendant knows the statements they make are lies. If your job is to sell an item and you follow a script your company gives you without knowing you are repeating lies, your Lake County fraud attorney would likely implicate your employers to exonerate you.
About 35 percent of Lake County residents are 60 or older, making the county a ripe target for fraud against the elderly. Defrauding the elderly out of their life savings is a felony and depends on how much the retiree loses. If the amount exceeds $50,000, the crime is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Fraud also includes bribery, insider trading, embezzlement, identity theft, and forgery. Any time a benefit is derived through deceit, it is considered fraud. If the fraud is widespread enough and crosses Florida state lines, those accused can be prosecuted in federal court.
Penalties include up to 15 years in prison and fines up to $10,000 for second-degree felonies such as bribery or identity theft if the person using the personal identification of another profits by more than $5,000. Writing bad checks is a third-degree felony if the amount is or exceeds $150. For this charge, a conviction can bring up to five years in prison and fines. A conviction for fraud brings serious penalties that can seep into your private life by embarrassing your family, making it hard to find a job or housing, and restricting your ability to own a firearm or vote. Before your life spirals out of control, contact a Lake County lawyer for experienced help in defending a fraud charge.
We dedicate our efforts to get you the best outcome possible. We present mitigating factors to the judge and jury, which could include a lack of a criminal record or your young age. We also develop the best defense for you, from a lack of understanding that your assertions were false claims, you were entrapped by law enforcement, or you have an alibi and are a victim of mistaken identity. Our Lake County fraud attorneys are tenacious allies when you need us.
We are waiting for your call if you need knowledgeable help after being charged with fraud. We are skilled at finding the best path forward by negotiating with the prosecutor for lesser charges, proving your innocence, or mitigating charges by presenting positive factors about you.
The criminal justice system can be a labyrinth of confusion for a lone defendant. Do not try to work with the prosecutor without experienced assistance to guide you. Your future is important to us. Call now to learn what a Lake County fraud lawyer can do for you.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
