White collar crimes are often perceived by the public to be less serious than more violent criminal charges. However, they are treated very seriously by the California legal system and can carry significant penalties if a person is convicted. Though some white collar crimes are tried as misdemeanors, others may be categorized as felonies.
If you face these types charges, you need an experienced criminal defense team with experienced white collar crime lawyers in Los Angeles like we have at the Simmrin Law Group.
Types of Fraud Charges in California
This state has several serious fraud charges that are considered white collar crimes. Though the laws regarding different kinds of fraud are complex, the essential element of a fraud charge is that you are accused of embellishing or falsifying data to receive some kind of benefit, usually in the form of extra money from programs like Workers’ Compensation or Medi-Cal. Fraud charges can come in a variety of forms, and the laws relating to each kind of fraud can be difficult to understand.
Nevertheless, the skilled white collar crime lawyers at the Simmrin Law Group can help you beat the following penalties.
- Medi-Cal Fraud: 6 months in jail and $1,000 fine for a misdemeanor; 3 years in jail and $10,000 fine for felonies.
- Workers’ Compensation Fraud: 1 year in jail and $150,000 fine for a misdemeanor; 5 years in jail and $150,000 fine for felonies.
- Health Care Fraud: 1 year in jail and $10,000 fine for a misdemeanor; 5 years in jail and $50,000 fine for felonies.
- Auto Insurance Fraud: 1 year in jail and $1,000 fine for a misdemeanor; 3 years in jail and $50,000 fine for felonies.
- Unemployment Insurance Fraud: 1 year in jail and $20,000 fine for a misdemeanor; 3 years in state prison and $20,000 fine for felonies.
- Mortgage Fraud: 1 year in jail and $1,000 fine for a misdemeanor; 3 years in jail and $10,000 fine for felonies.
For all of these charges, there can be additional penalties if you have prior fraud convictions or are accused of defrauding a person, company, or program out of extraordinarily high amounts of money. To defend you, a skilled Los Angeles white collar crime lawyer can argue that you had no intent to defraud anyone and simply erred in the paperwork process. After all, making mistakes with program applications or insurance forms is not a crime. For the charge to stick, the prosecution has to show proof of your intent to defraud.
There are other ways to defend against fraud charges, such as finding issue with the prosecution’s evidence. At the Simmrin Law Group, we offer free consultations with our white collar crime lawyers so that you can get a feel for the defense that best suits your circumstances.
Embezzlement
Charges of embezzlement can be confusing and difficult to navigate, but our white collar crime lawyers in Los Angeles are here to help. The first step is to understand what the charge entails. In California, you can be charged with embezzlement if:
- You were entrusted with money or property.
- The owner of the money or property expected you to maintain it.
- Instead, you transferred the money or property into your own possession fraudulently.
- The original owner has been deprived of the money or property because of your actions.
The actual charge of embezzlement can be tried as either Petty Theft or Grand Theft, depending on the value of what is alleged to have been embezzled. If convicted of the lower-level misdemeanor petty theft, you may face:
- 6 months in jail
- A fine of $1,000
If convicted of grand theft as a misdemeanor, you may face:
- 1 year in jail
- $1,000 fine
Finally, if convicted of grand theft as a felony, you may face:
- 3 years in jail
- $10,000 fine
No matter what level of offense you face, the best choice is to contact a lawyer at the Simmrin Law Group to help work toward having the charges dropped.
Probation Violations
Many white collar crimes carry probation as either a penalty or a substitute for jail time. However, a violation of probationary terms can lead to serious consequences, such as the following.
- Serving the original jail time if probation was an alternative
- Serving additional jail time if the original sentence was already served
- Serving additional probation
- Serving probation with more stringent restrictions
- Paying a fine
The penalties you face for your specific probation violation are up to the presiding judge. With a knowledgeable Los Angeles white collar crime lawyer, you may be able to provide a defense tailored to fight the tactics of local prosecutors. Given that edge in court, it is possible to defeat a probation violation charge and even have your existing probation terminated early.
Get Your FREE Consultation Today
At the Simmrin Law Group, we know that time is of the essence in white collar crime cases. To speak with some of our top-notch Los Angeles white collar crime lawyers, fill out the form to the right of this page or call us at (310) 997-4688. We offer a FREE initial consultation so that we can begin working through the details of your case and crafting the best possible defensive strategy.