San Fernando Valley Fraud / Forgery Crimes Defense Attorney
About Fraud
Fraud crimes encompass many types of illegal acts, but often include some type of business related activity, such as identity theft or bribery. Many fraud crimes occur in the financial area, using deception to perpetrate the crime. The common types of fraud crimes the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Vallens can represent you for include:
- Bribery
- Identity theft
- Embezzlement
- Pyramid Schemes
- Wire Fraud
- Bank Fraud
- Government Fraud
- Counterfeiting
- Check fraud
- Theft
- Political Corruption
Fraud crimes can be charged as a state or federal crime, depending on the circumstances. Federal charges usually apply when there is an interstate crime or the crime involved some government entity to commit, such as the Post Office. If considered a federal crime, the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) may be involved in the investigation. Penalties can be harsh, with sentences up to 30 years for certain crimes and costly fines.
About Forgery
There are many types of forgery crimes that can be committed, but generally forgery involves signing someone else's name on a legal document. The most common types of forgery crimes involve:
- Signing a document with a name that is not your
- Forging the handwriting of another
- Altering a will, real estate document or court judgment
- Present a false or altered document to pass on as authentic, such as a check, stock certificate, power of attorney, acknowledgement of a notary, contract or lottery ticket
Depending on the seriousness of the charges, forgery can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony. It is punishable by imprisonment in state prison of up to 3 years or in a county jail of not over 1 year.. However, if you have prior convictions, you will have significantly harsher sentences.
Protecting Your Rights in San Fernando Valley & Van Nuys
Having an experienced criminal defense attorney to protect you against these serious crimes is essential if you hope to overcome your charges. A careful and complete review of the facts of the alleged crime will be conducted by our experienced legal team to determine the best course of action in mounting a strong defense. With over 15 years experience in the San Fernando Valley and Van Nuys, the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Vallens can aggressively represent you against any fraud or forgery charges.
Our offices were successful in representing some of the most serious crime allegations in the history of Los Angeles County. We successfully represented a man charged in the largest single incident of worker's compensation fraud in the history of Los Angeles County. We worked hard to get his charges reduced to a misdemeanor after the preliminary examination and ultimately dismissed before trial.
We represented a woman charged in the Counties largest welfare fraud ever perpetrated. We were able to get her probation with payment of restitution in monthly payments.
We represented a woman charged in a 1.5 miilion dollar fraud case with an actual monetary loss of 1.3 million dollars. the victim was a very prominant Los Angeles business man. We fought hard and got her probation and house arrest so she could continue working from home and avoid any jail time.
Remember, that many fraud cases can be settled without jail or prison time. Some cases can be reduced to lesser offense or dismissed. This takes a skilled, confident attorney.
Contact Criminal Defense Lawyer at the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Vallens
when you are in need of an experienced lawyer to defend your rights.