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Understanding Healthcare Fraud

Healthcare fraud is the filing of false healthcare claims. It is easier than you think to be accused of this crime. Auditors, patients, members of your staff, and others can easily mistake proper billing for a crime. If you have been under investigation or arrested for healthcare fraud, your first response should be to contact a lawyer. Being charged with healthcare fraud is not the same as being ...

What To Know About Federal Plea Bargains

Plea bargaining in federal cases is not exactly the same as reaching a plea deal in a state case. There are different laws and rules that introduce certain considerations in federal cases. In addition, federal judges have wide discretion when it comes to imposing the actual sentence. Here are some important considerations for plea bargaining in federal cases. A Deal Is Not Always Final In the ...

IRS Used Data Analytics to Uncover $10 billion of Tax Fraud in 2018

The IRS is using data analytics to refine how it detects tax fraud. The success of this effort can be seen by a fourfold increase in Criminal Investigation Division's detection of tax fraud from 2017 to 2018. The reasons for the fourfold increase in detection of fraud stem from several factors: IRS criminal investigators are benefiting from the IRS movement towards more sophisticated analytical ...

Income Tax: Criminal vs. Civil Violations

Each year, millions of U.S. citizens are required to file federal income tax. At the end of tax season, some individuals will be accused of not paying their fair taxes. The IRS may conduct a civil audit which concerns the determination of the accuracy of your tax return and can result in additional taxes, interest, and monetary penalties. The IRS can also investigate you for criminal violation of ...

Getting Immunity from the Government Before Cooperating

We have previously addressed how truth is in the eye of the beholder and, when the beholder is a federal agent or prosecutor, failing to confirm what the government believes the truth to be can lead to charges . However, there are times when it is in the client’s best interest to meet government agents and prosecutors and answer questions. Before that meeting takes place, it is important to agree ...

What To Know When Served With A Subpoena Duces Tecum

We have previously addressed why you should not speak to law enforcement without experienced counsel with you. Those articles were entitled “ If I Am Innocent Or Have Nothing To Hide, Should I Talk To The Police? No, Giuliani Was Right – ‘The Truth Isn’t The Truth,’ ” and “ What Did Noor Salman Say to the FBI And Why You Should Never Talk To The Police Without a Lawyer. ” Usually after law ...

Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program Is Over, But You Should Still Worry If You Have Unreported Money Overseas or Held in Cryptocurrency

The government’s ability to collect taxes comes from the U.S. Constitution. To collect taxes, Congress created a series of criminal and civil statutes. The Treasury Department used these statutes to promulgate a series of regulations to assist in collecting taxes due the government. Unlike many countries, the government taxes income of U.S. citizens both living within the United States and abroad. ...

If I Am Innocent Or Have Nothing To Hide, Should I Talk To The Police? No, Giuliani Was Right – “The Truth Isn’t The Truth.”

In our article, “ What Did Noor Salman Say to the FBI And Why You Should Never Talk To The Police Without a Lawyer ,” we discussed why you should never talk to authorities without a lawyer. People reading that article may naturally think that speaking to the authorities is appropriate when you are innocent and have nothing to hide. We have represented clients who believed they were innocent, spoke ...

What the Recent U.S. Supreme Court Case on Cell Records and Duces Tecum Subpoenas Mean To You

We recently wrote about the government’s use of Civil Investigative Demands and subpoenas that can result in criminal charges . This article will address a specific subpoena, called “duces tecum,” which the Supreme Court recently elaborated on its history in the U.S. legal system in Carpenter v. United States . Duces tecum subpoenas may be used in both criminal and civil cases and are often used ...

When Cheating Spouses Cause the IRS And Prosecutors To Come After You

We routinely discuss IRS enforcement trends, but rarely in conjunction with family law matters. News outlets routinely report the divorce rate to be around 50% in the U.S., with infidelity often cited as the leading cause. A less reported reason is when one spouse is convicted of a felony. While infidelity often refers to an affair, it can also refer to a spouse failing to honor his or her ...