Wire fraud, securities fraud, Medicare fraud … it seems as though the list of fraud crimes that somebody can be accused of is endless. Whether you are actually faced with a fraud charge or simply suspect that you are under investigation, it is essential that you secure experienced, sound legal representation by attorneys who are familiar with the complexities of mounting an aggressive fraud defense. Fraud cases require exacting knowledge of contract law, the ability to analyze and understand financial documents, and a meticulous level attention to detail. When you choose the Philadelphia fraud defense lawyers at Bochetto & Lentz, you are putting yourself in the hands of a legal team with a successful record of defending those accused of fraud.
Fraud charges can range from misdemeanor to felony level, and the penalties can range from community service and fines to years of imprisonment. At Bochetto & Lentz we provide legal counsel to those accused of many types of fraud, including:
- Bankruptcy Fraud
- Bank Fraud
- Check Fraud
- Credit Card/Debit Card Fraud
- Financial Fraud
- Forgery and Identity Theft
- Health Care/Medicare/Medicaid Fraud
- Internet Fraud
- Insurance Fraud
- Mail Fraud
- Mortgage Fraud
- Real Estate Fraud
- Securities Fraud
- Social Security Card Fraud
- Tax Fraud
- Telemarketing Fraud
- Wire Fraud
All fraud charges have a few things in common. They all profess that a deception was deliberately perpetrated. No matter what type of fraud you are charged with, an accusation of fraud is an accusation of being dishonest for the purpose of personal or monetary gain, and it is essential that you have Philadelphia fraud defense lawyers on your side that will work diligently to clear your name.
Defenses Against Fraud
There are a number of highly effective defenses that an experienced attorney can use to defend you against charges of fraud. These include no fraudulent intent, mistaken identity, entrapment and insufficient evidence.
- No fraudulent intent
One of the most basic aspects of a fraud charge is the intent to deceive. It is incumbent upon the plaintiff to prove that you intended to defraud them, and it is the job of your defense attorney to prove that was not your objective. Examples of this type of defense would be that a person accused of check fraud mistakenly believed that they had sufficient funds in their bank account, or that in the case of healthcare fraud the accused mistakenly took a friend’s insurance card instead of their own.
- Mistaken Identity
An argument can be made that you are being mistaken for the person who actually committed the fraud in a number of circumstances, including mistaken eyewitness identification and identification by assumption.
- Entrapment
Entrapment is a defense that can be used when you can show that the authorities compelled you to act in a way that you would not have done normally.
- Insufficient Evidence
The plaintiff is charged with the burden of proving that fraud has taken place. If they are not successful in doing so, this is a useful defense.
The most important thing for you to do if you have been charged with any kind of fraud or believe that you are being investigated for fraud is to reach out to the Philadelphia fraud defense lawyers at Bochetto & Lentz as early as possible. The more quickly you provide yourself with an experienced advocate, the more effective a defense we can provide.
Read more about Fraud here:
https://www.bochettoandlentz.com/practice-areas/civil-fraud-and-rico/
