Q: What is fraud?
Texas criminal defense attorneys often handle a wide range of services including defending clients against serious offenses like drug crimes, sex crimes, violent crimes, and even white collar crimes.
What are white collar crimes?
In a nutshell, white collar crimes are non-violent and are financially motivated. Such offenses include elements of deceit, concealment, and/or a violation of trust. Collectively, white-collar crimes are referred to as fraud.
Despite their non-violent nature, white-collar crimes are vigorously prosecuted in Texas and may result in stiff penalties upon conviction. Fraud cases may be prosecuted on the state and/or federal level and may be misdemeanors or felonies.
Common types of fraud cases in Texas
El Paso fraud defense lawyers handle many different kinds of white-collar defenses. Among the more popular charges are credit card fraud and insurance fraud.
Popular examples of insurance fraud in Texas include but are not limited to:
- auto insurance fraud
- staged car accident fraud
- homeowner’s insurance fraud
- life insurance fraud, and
- Worker’s Compensation fraud.
In order to prove an insurance fraud case, prosecutors must establish that the accused knowingly made a false or misleading statement in an insurance claim; that the false statement was made regarding a claim or a payment; and that the false statement was material to the case. Hiring a skilled criminal defense attorney with a track record of success may increase the likelihood of achieving the best possible outcome under the particular circumstances.
Recently, a California woman was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $22,500 in restitution for insurance fraud. Investigators unraveled a scam where the woman reportedly used a “phony trip and fall” to cash in on a $10,000 wedding event cancellation insurance policy—submitting “bogus medical reports” in support of the claim, then filing a “doctored” police report claiming the $10,000 insurance check was stolen.
Contact the Benjamin Law Firm Today to Discuss Your Case
If you have been charged or expect to be charged with insurance fraud, or any other crime, the Benjamin Law Firm can help you. We firmly believe that anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Contact us today for a consultation.
From our offices in El Paso, we defend clients throughout Texas—as well as those arrested while visiting Texas—against the full spectrum of criminal charges with aggressive legal representation. Brock Benjamin who is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and his associate Leonel Nunez are available to help you with your allegations by the State of Texas or the United States Federal Government.
Posted in: White Collar Crimes