The United States Congress first outlawed mail fraud nearly a century after national independence. The technological era opened the door to advanced methods of deception through modern communication. In 1952, Congress extended the ban on deception to include electronic communication. When a person runs afoul of the law in a white-collar offense, wire fraud charges may tag along. Features of wire fraud Wire fraud is a federal offense. The act occurs when someone knowingly uses wire, radio, television or the internet to commit a scheme to defraud another person. The deception can be against an i ..read more

Medicaid provides medical coverage to low-income citizens. This vital program assists approximately 20% of the population. Without it, many would lack treatment. Every year, billions of taxpayer dollars go toward Medicaid. Because of this, it is subject to intense oversight. Government officials are constantly on the lookout for evidence of fraud. Honest mistakes have the potential to turn into criminal charges. Unnecessary billing Unscrupulous medical professionals intentionally bill for services or products they do not deliver. Other times, they insist on giving their patients unneeded servi ..read more

Every year, you must file your taxes. There are few things more confusing than the American revenue system. Thousands of regulations exist, and it is unrealistic to think no one will make mistakes. Working the system to your advantage to pay the minimum amount possible is not a crime. Lying about income or assets on your filings is fraud. Or is it evasion? Contrary to popular belief, there is a difference between tax fraud and evasion. What is civil tax fraud? Tax fraud is a civil offense that involves the improper submission of taxes. These cases are often related to negligence. Knowingly hav ..read more

Finding out you are going to be the subject of an IRS audit may have you feeling anxious, but not every audit plays out the way you might envision. Only a small number of individuals have to undergo audits, and the majority of those who do wind up doing them entirely by mail. There are three main types of IRS audits: mail audits, in-office audits and field audits. Mail audits A mail audit involves you sending certain types of requested documentation to the IRS that verifies the information you included when you filed your taxes. You may never have to meet with anyone in person if the IRS ..read more

If you have used a multi-level marketing (MLM) business scheme in the past, you may not have done anything wrong. However, some of these programs quickly begin looking like pyramid schemes. Sometimes, people get accused of being part of a Ponzi scheme working with MLM as well. Well, the truth is that these three types of schemes are very different, and only two of them are not legal. Multi-level marketing Multi-level marketing is totally legal in most cases. This is because there is a real product being sold, and investors are actively recruiting people to help them sell it. They get a portion ..read more

White-collar crimes are often committed by the prospect of financial gain, usually at the expense of another’s ignorance or through the offender’s position in a workplace or another role. These crimes can occur through the misuse of electronics, communication devices, the federal mailing system or another related means. Common white-collar crimes are: ·       Tax evasion ·       Embezzlement ·       Money laundering ·       Securities fraud like insider trading or investor fr ..read more

Though the grand jury is an important piece of the criminal justice system, it doesn’t determine guilt or impose penalties. Instead, a prosecutor convenes a grand jury to determine whether to indict – bring charges against – a person suspected of committing a crime. Though all states have provisions for grand juries, only about half make use of them. In Minnesota, a grand jury can include up to 23 people, though they can function with as few as 16. The state says a grand jury must be convened in cases in which “the offense charged is punishable by life imprisonment” and that prosecutors have t ..read more