Fraud Can Be Costly

Five years behind bars and over $2.5 million: that’s the price one Nevada man paid for swindling the government out of money related to COVID relief in the past few years.  The scam involved several businesses and purchases of vehicles, condos, and other luxuries for himself, all using loans designed to support struggling businesses during the COVID epidemic. The fraudster failed to actually help anyone with the funds he received, instead pampering himself while avoiding his tax burden.

What is Fraud? 

The key to illegal fraud in Nevada is deception, or the intent to deceive another entity of what they are legally entitled to. Whenever someone loses out on property, money, or other legal rights, fraud charges may follow.  While many think of fraud as relating primarily to one narrow field, the truth is that fraud can occur in many venues, including, for example:

• Insurance Fraud: This involves individuals submitting insurance claims that they know are false or trumped up.
• Workers’ Compensation Fraud: Fraud can occur on both the employee and the employer end of this equation.  For example, employees could claim to have an injury that is disabling when they don’t actually have any such injury. (We’ve all heard the stories about people who have supposed back injuries from being out golfing or water skiing!) On the other hand, employers may fail to provide the required coverage that workers deserve to address legitimate injuries.
• Identity Theft: The impersonation of any individual by using that person’s name, Social Security number, driver’s license, credit card, or other information is most commonly attempted in the pursuit of financial gain. It often occurs online, and can even involve medical expenses or the identities of children.
• Mortgage Fraud: Fraudulent transactions related to mortgages might include misrepresentations related to income or other material facts on applications and related forms.

There are many, many more types of fraud, all founded on the intentional deceit of the intended victims, which could be individual persons, businesses, or government entities.

Penalties for Fraud 

Fraud charges can be brought on a state level or federal level, or both, and the consequences can be significant.  They generally involve imprisonment, fines, and restitution. In some cases, perpetrators will also be forced to pay for any investigative and legal costs associated with the case. One of the huge consequences that is often overlooked is the criminal record that offenders get, along with the damage to family life, reputation, loss of professional licensure, and even future issues related to housing, working, and more.

The Defense You Need 

At Lobo Law, our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys know that every defendant is innocent until proven guilty. Our job is to provide an aggressive defense that attacks every angle of the prosecution’s case.  To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation in our office today.

Source:

reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/5-years-prison-2-5m-restitution-for-las-vegas-covid-fraud-2682676/