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For all intents and purposes, piracy is an international crime—that is, it’s a crime to commit piracy anywhere in the world. That being said, the U.S. government has enacted specific laws about crimes of piracy and how these crimes are punished. These laws are codified in Title 18 U.S. Code Chapter 81...

The federal government considers participation in a criminal organization a severe offense. Regardless of your level of involvement within the group, prosecutors may attempt to charge you under one of the United States federal gang laws. In addition to facing charges for the underlying crime...

Any time a federal agent attempts to search or seize your property, it is a cause for concern. Luckily the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides some protection against such an event, enshrining “the right of the people…against unreasonable search and seizures, shall not be violated...

As a health care professional in the United States, it can often feel like you are operating under a microscope. Despite your best efforts to navigate the complicated regulations of health care compliance, you may still find yourself at the center of an investigation into perceived healthcare fraud...

Someone can commit identity theft by using someone else’s personal information for economic gain or pretending to be someone else. This is usually done through fraud, deception, false statements, or misrepresentations. In other words, it's when someone steals another person’s identifying information, uses stolen...

Bankruptcy is a provision in U.S. law that allows companies and individuals to obtain court protection from creditors and receive full or partial debt relief when they are overwhelmed and unable to pay their debts. In other words, they are designed to protect anyone struggling with a large debt...

If you conduct business outside the United States, you must be aware of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which is a federal law that prohibits American businesses and individuals from paying bribes to foreign officials to secure business deals. It also mandates keeping accurate books so as not to...

Human trafficking, also known as Trafficking in Persons, or TIP, is a serious federal crime that may result in lengthy prison sentences upon conviction. Every state has laws penalizing human trafficking, including California under Penal Code 236.1 PC. However, when the act crosses state or international...

For many decades, the federal government has hired private businesses and contractors to work for them. Every year, thousands of companies receive revenue from government contracts. At the same time, the government strictly regulates this work and watches for inaccuracies in payment claims...

The federal government, specifically the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission, is taking a hardline stance against instances of bribery, corruption, and similar corporate criminal activities, commonly called "corporate fraud.” Most federal corporate fraud cases are highly...

Most people know the United States government has jurisdiction over the immigration policy. They enforce the immigration laws and the states normally work in cooperation with the federal government. This means when immigration laws are violated on a criminal level, then any prosecution will..

The federal securities law defined under 18 U.S.C. § 1348 was formed after the mail fraud and wire fraud statutes which makes it a federal crime to defraud someone related to a security, or obtain money or property using false pretenses. Allegations of securities fraud are typically sought against...

Most federal corporate fraud cases are a highly complex area of law involving many different statutes. Just an allegation of corporate and business fraud can be life-changing. It can destroy a career that took a lifetime to achieve. In many cases, the primary key to a favorable outcome will depend on your...

Most people are not familiar with the process of a federal criminal case filed by the United States Department of Justice. Criminal cases involving federal laws can only be handled in federal courts. Federal crimes involve offenses committed on federal property, drugs crimes into the country, mail fraud...

Money laundering is generally described as financial transactions involving money that was obtained through criminal activity. In other words, a money-laundering transaction is to take money earned through illegal activity and make it look legitimate. The term “laundering” refers to a process of someone...

Organized crime is generally described as a criminal enterprise where members engage in criminal activity for financial gain. Initially, the federal RICO Act was used by the government to prosecute mob bosses, but now used more broadly for a variety of federal fraud and extortion offenses. The term “racketeering”...

A federal mail fraud case is generally described as someone making false representations or promises, with intent to defraud, by use of the mail to execute the scheme. Mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1341 is closely related to wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 where someone intentionally defrauds...

Federal prosecutors often file conspiracy charges under 18 U.S.C. § 371 that cover a wide range of alleged criminal conduct. Conspiracy charges are typically difficult to defend and a federal criminal lawyer must thoroughly investigate the prosecutor's evidence in order to develop a strategy to challenge....

How to Talk Your Way into An Indictment By Speaking With The Government – Lessons From the Federal Cases of Martha Stewart, Michael Flynn, and Others. As a federal criminal defense attorney, it is almost a cliché that the prudent advice to a client is to remain silent. If the client does not discuss their...

CNN recently reported on a complex criminal matter involving, among others, Eisner Gorin LLP client Raul Vivas, which involved a money laundering scheme in the 1990s. At trial, prosecutors alleged that Mr. Vivas and his co-defendants orchestrated a fraudulent scheme by which they would launder...

The George Washington Bridge (GWB) is the busiest motor-vehicle bridge in the world. For four days in September of 2013, vehicle lanes entering the GWB from Fort Lee New Jersey were shut down causing the town's streets to come to a standstill. The traffic in Fort Lee rivaled that of 9/11 when the GWB...

Before anyone is indicted for a federal crime, a criminal investigation is the first stage in the criminal justice process in a federal court. If a credible alleged offense is reported to a federal law enforcement agency, then the government will launch an investigation. The initial report could come from...

The vast majority of federal criminal cases never make to a trial, rather they are resolved through a plea agreement between the defendant's criminal defense lawyer and the federal prosecutor. Plea agreements typically involve a defendant pleading guilty in exchange for getting some federal...

In some federal criminal cases, it might be in the defendant's best interest to cooperate with the prosecutor. For example, the evidence against them is so strong that it can't be reasonably challenged, such as a case where the illegal conduct was recorded by undercover federal law enforcement agents...

A “target letter” is how the federal government informs people that they are targets for criminal prosecution.  Simply put, it means the federal prosecutor believes the recipient of the letter has committed a crime. The letter could be received expectantly or after federal law enforcement...