White Collar Crime and Your Career

 Posted on October 20, 2020 in White Collar Crimes

Dealing with the aftermath of your involvement in a white-collar crime will take time and tenacity. One of the biggest challenges you will face is dealing with the damage to your reputation.

Working to rebuild others' trust in you and establish professional credibility will require a commitment to change. Your efforts to reestablish your reputation will help you prepare to reenter the workforce with confidence.

Acknowledging Your Wrongdoing

The first step on the road to recovery is to acknowledge your wrongdoing. Be honest with yourself and others. Analyze how your actions resulted in consequences. Identify the root cause that led to your unprofessional conduct. If your actions impacted the lives of others close to you, extend a heartfelt apology and commit to being better.

When you find out the consequences of your behavior, see that you make restitution as soon as possible. Demonstrating your desire to right your wrongs will help people to see your genuine desire to fix what happened.

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What to Know About Doctor Shopping

 Posted on October 08, 2020 in Drug Charges

Patients often receive prescriptions from their doctors to deal with health conditions that they suffer from. However, an ethical doctor will not give a patient more medicine than is necessary. Because some people become addicted to prescription medicine, they will try to acquire more medication through methods like doctor shopping.

As explained by FindLaw, doctor shopping is a crime under both state and federal law. It is important to know what doctor shopping entails to help avoid any appearance of committing this crime.

Going To Multiple Doctors

A person addicted to prescription drugs will attempt to acquire medication by going to more than one doctor. The addicted individual will visit one doctor, get a prescription, and then go to another doctor to get another prescription for the same drug. This is what it means to "shop" for doctors.

Doctors who obey the law will not write a prescription if a patient already has it. To get around this practice, addicted individuals will keep previous doctor visits a secret from the doctor they meet. By deceiving multiple doctors, the addicted person will acquire prescriptions under false pretenses.

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What are the Effects of Healthcare Fraud?

 Posted on September 25, 2020 in Fraud

Healthcare fraud occurs in many ways. Sometimes, it is the result of actions from medical professionals, or it may be due to actions by patients.

In any case, when it happens, it can create a lot of issues that have a domino effect on the industry. Pacific Prime explains fraud and corruption in healthcare not only costs money but also impacts the quality of healthcare everyone receives.

Strain On Resources

Often, healthcare fraud means patients receive unnecessary tests and take up the time of medical professionals. When this happens, it means you cannot get into the doctor or you have to wait longer for testing. Hospital rooms may go to someone who does not really need it, but then it means there is no room open for you. These things cause a strain on the system and can have a great impact on your overall care.

Insurance Increases

Health insurance goes up because the costs of healthcare go up when there is fraud in a system. Everyone will pay more for services.

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Gathering Evidence to Fight False Allegations of Embezzlement

 Posted on September 15, 2020 in Embezzlement

If you are facing embezzlement charges, you likely have high levels of stress and worry about the various ways in which your future is threatened. From financial penalties to a shattered career and the possibility of time in prison, these are serious charges that have the potential to wreak havoc in your life for many years. Unfortunately, some people find themselves in this position over false allegations.

According to the Department of Justice, embezzlement involves the misuse of money that was originally obtained in a lawful manner. Although many people facing these charges feel like giving up, it is extremely important to use your time wisely and gather any relevant evidence that will strengthen your defense.

Understanding Why False Embezzlement Allegations Come Up

From confusion to intentionally placing blame on an innocent individual, there are many reasons why false allegations of embezzlement arise. Sometimes, those accused of embezzlement have no idea of how to protect their future and fight the charges. Unfortunately, some people are relatively powerless and unable to prove their innocence and they face harsh penalties for a crime they never committed.

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Take Action if You Are Facing an Investigation for Fraud

 Posted on September 07, 2020 in Fraud

Auditors employed in a large corporation have more access to financial information than most employees and are perfectly positioned to engage in some form of white-collar crime.

If you find that you and other members of the accounting department are under investigation for fraud, what are your next steps?

Understanding White-Collar Crime

White-collar crime is a non-violent crime based on deception, one that often involves abusing a position of trust. In a corporate environment, it might be a crime such as embezzlement, accounting fraud, wire fraud or forgery. The company might not have the internal controls in place to identify issues such as these and the crime could continue undetected for months or even years. Fraud is often the result of pressure, such as personal financial problems, opportunity and rationalization.

Following Up On A Tip

It only takes a tip from a whistleblower for an investigation to begin. However, because white-collar crimes are complex, they are usually of long duration. Some take years to complete. While investigations can begin at the state level, teamwork often develops through the addition of federal resources such as agents from the FBI and IRS.

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Understanding Criminal Allegations of Fraud

 Posted on December 19, 2019 in Fraud

Financial crimes are considered rather serious, as they can cause significant harm to individuals and companies when committed against them. In many cases, an act of fraud involves intentional acts of deception in order to obtain significant monetary gain. However, a charge of fraud could result even if the amount in question is not large. Thus, considering one's criminal defense options when accused of the criminal act of fraud in Texas and elsewhere is imperative.

When a person is facing allegations of fraud, this crime must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Thus, the elements of this crime must be proven. Generally, this means that the accused purposefully misrepresented a material fact, they had knowledge that it was false, the victim of the crime justifiably relies on the misrepresentation made by the accused and the victim suffers actual loss as a result.

Fraud is a broad crime and could include criminal acts such as identity theft, insurance fraud, mail fraud, credit card fraud, securities fraud, telemarketing fraud, wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion. No matter the type of fraud one is accused of, it is important to understand not only the elements of the crime but also the evidence used against him or her. This could help with the development of a strong criminal defense.

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Helping You Initiate a Defense Against Prescription Drug Charges

 Posted on December 05, 2019 in Drug Charges

When individuals in Texas and elsewhere think of drug crimes, they likely think of street drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines. Nonetheless, an individual could face drug charges for simply having a drug in his or her possession that they shouldn't. Prescription drugs, although legally possessed by those prescribed them, could result in drug charges if a person is in possession of prescription medications without a prescription.

Being accused of a prescription drug crime is a serious situation and should be treated like any other criminal allegation. The accused has the right to assert a defense. However, it is imperative that they fully understand the accusations that they face and the potential penalties that could result. The attorneys at Barbieri Law Firm, understand how to navigate these matters and are prepared to guide our clients through the defense process.

Whether one is facing charges relating to fentanyl, OxyCotin, morphine, Adderall, vicodin, Demerol, codeine or other prescription drug charges, our law firm will consider the situation as a whole, helping our clients understand any defenses available to them. Because drug possession charges could damage one's personal and professional reputation if a conviction results, we work thoroughly and diligently to provide our clients with timely and detailed advice when it comes to asserting a defense.

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Legal Protections for White Collar Criminal Charges

 Posted on November 21, 2019 in White Collar Crimes

It is a mistake to think that white collar criminal charges are not serious criminal charges. White collar criminal charges can result in serious penalties and consequences for accused individuals which is why they must be met with a strong criminal defense.

Many white collar crimes are based on fraud and allegations of fraud. White collar criminal charges can include theft charges; money laundering charges; embezzlement charges; identity theft charges; forgery charges; internet crimes; and various different types of fraud charges. White collar criminal charges can be complex and involve business, finances and cyber activity which is why the charges the accused individual is facing should be thoroughly understood.

A strong criminal defense strategy can help accused individuals with the white collar criminal charges they are facing. It may be possible to challenge the charges in a variety of ways including if any violations of the accused individual's rights have been violated, such as an improper search, or if the alleged facts or evidence needs to be challenged for a variety of different reasons. Criminal defense protections are essential to be familiar with when facing white collar criminal charges.

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Legal Options When Faced with Prescription Drug Charges

 Posted on November 08, 2019 in Drug Charges

Prescription drug charges are serious criminal charges and it is important for accused individuals to recognize that prescription drug charges can be as serious as any other type of drug charges. Just like other drug charges, there are different types of prescription drug charges accused individuals can face.

Prescription drug crimes accused individuals can find themselves facing may include possession, distribution and use crimes. If the accused individual does not have a valid prescription for a particular drug and possesses, distributes or uses a prescription drug they allegedly possess illegally, it may result in prescription drug charges which can lead to serious penalties and consequences for accused individuals. Penalties accused individuals may face can include jail time and fines, as well as others.

Everyday people, as well as doctors and others, can be faced with prescription drug fraud charges. Accused individuals should be on the lookout for these charges and understand what to do if they are facing prescription drug charges. As is also true of both drug charges and prescription drug charges, and any criminal charges accused individuals may face, they have a right to a criminal defense.

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Do Authorities Suspect That You Committed Credit Card Fraud?

 Posted on November 01, 2019 in Fraud

Using credit cards and debit cards is most people's preferred method of making payments. They may enter their information online or over the phone, give their cards to servers at restaurants when it is time to pay, or swipe them at the checkout of their favorite retail locations. In fact, using plastic to pay is more common than paying with cash.

Of course, because credit and debit cards are such a popular way to pay, the chance exists for credit card fraud to occur. Unfortunately for you, rather than being a victim, authorities believe that you have committed this type of crime yourself.

Fraudulent Actions

Facing accusations of fraud is a serious ordeal, and you may wonder how you even became a suspect in the first place. Your mind may be reeling with any number of similar questions as well, and finding the right answers may seem impossible. However, you can go over your actions, the circumstances of your arrest and the evidence against you in efforts to find the best way to handle your case.

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