Fraud in Nevada

In legal terms, fraud is an “intentional deception” to secure unfair or unlawful gain, or to deprive a victim of a legal right. The purpose of fraud may be monetary gain or other benefits. In criminal law, a person accused of fraudulent activity can be charged with a crime, even if there has been no loss of money, property or a legal right. A fraudulent act can be perpetrated against a person, company, organization or government entity.

In Nevada, there are dozens of categories and subcategories of fraudulent activities, many of which are called “white collar crimes,” including:

• Real estate fraud.
• Bank fraud.
• Gaming fraud.
• Healthcare fraud.
• Soliciting or obtaining money under false pretenses.
• Securities fraud.
• Insurance fraud.
• Tax fraud.
• Welfare fraud.
• Unemployment insurance fraud.
• Credit card fraud.
• Identity theft.
• Mail fraud.
• Wire fraud.
• Forgery.
• Money laundering.
• Embezzlement.

Examples of Fraudulent Acts

Bank Fraud: Forging bank documents, filing loan applications with false information or making fraudulent deposits or fund transfers.

Insurance Fraud: Filing a fraudulent claim, exaggerating the value of a claim, filing a claim under another person’s identity, etc.

Real Estate Fraud: Forging deeds, predatory lending, creating false records, etc.

Identity Theft: Fraudulently obtaining the personal and/or financial information of another person for economic gain. Specific examples include:

• Stealing and using a credit card or ATM/debit card.
• Organizing schemes to perpetrate fraud against a business.
• Credit card counterfeiting.
• Online hacking to gain access to others’ personal and/or financial information.

Embezzlement: Intentionally transferring money from a business account to one’s personal account, cashing checks and keeping the money from checks that don’t belong to them, writing and cashing business checks to oneself, etc.

Tax Fraud: Falsifying income (typically under-reporting true income), claiming false deductions, hiding assets or filing personal expenses as business expenses.

Legal and Lifetime Ramifications

Individuals accused of fraud face potential steep repercussions, and are advised to seek qualified legal counsel to represent them in the legal system. Penalties for Nevada fraud crimes may result in:

• Prison time.
• Fines.
• Restitution.
• Reimbursement for investigation costs.

In addition, those convicted of a fraud crime can have their lives turned upside down due to “having a record” and the fallout resulting from that record: Damaged reputation, loss of professional licenses and/or future employment challenges. Obviously, the fallout can carry over to impact your family and loved ones, as well. 

The Role of Your Fraud Defense Lawyer

If you have been charged with fraudulent activity, it is serious business. You do not want to attempt to navigate the legal landscape alone. An experienced fraud attorney knows and understands the laws involved and how such cases are developed and pursued. 

You will want to find a lawyer you can trust who will listen to the details of your case, investigate for more information about your case and ultimately make recommendations to defend you given your specific circumstances. In general, defending a fraud charge may include one or more of the following:

• Demonstrating that you had no intention of defrauding any person, business, organization or governmental entity.
• Building the case that you were falsely accused.
• Evaluating the case evidence and attempting to get some or all of the evidence thrown out on a technicality, such as unlawful search and seizure.
• Building the case that you operated under duress.
• Building the case that you yourself were the victim of entrapment.

As you can see, being accused of a fraudulent act is complex, with severe ramifications for the accused. At The Defenders, we strongly encourage you to contact us as soon as you realize you are being investigated or are charged. Time is critical. From the moment you hire us, we will begin working to thoroughly understand your case, investigate as deeply as necessary, describe your legal options and take all necessary steps to ensure your legal rights are protected. We will aggressively pursue your case to ensure the best possible outcome.