Fraud Related Offenses

January 16, 2011

NY Crimes & Laws Involving Grand Larceny Embezzlement: A New York City Criminal Defense Attorney View Part I

When one thinks of Embezzlement in New York, one usually thinks of a Grand Larceny type scheme. While this may be true, experienced New York criminal lawyers will tell you that an Embezzlement based Grand Larceny investigation, arrest or indictment may only be the tip of the iceberg. In fact, while one’s main objective may be a theft, there are numerous other crimes that one may face if one is charged or arrested for Grand Larceny by Embezzlement in New York.

A savvy and experienced prosecutor is likely able to throw a litany of charges at you that tie back to a Grand Larceny and Embezzlement arrest. If one doesn’t stick, the prosecutor realizes that there are many additional charges that may. Obviously, some Embezzlement charges in New York are more serious than others. For most people, however, any type of felony conviction will cripple their career. While no New York criminal defense attorney can guarantee a particular result in the face of an Embezzlement charge, arrest or indictment, he or she should be able to assess your case, discuss the possible charges and implement a defense.

July 2, 2010

Fake & Fraudulent Drug Prescriptions in New York: The Crimes of Forgery and Criminal Possession of a Forged instrument

by Jeremy Saland

Maybe you stole a couple of sheets from a physician’s prescription pad and made out a completely fake prescription for drugs and medicine such as Vicodin, Oxycodone or OxyContin. Maybe you altered your doctor’s legitimate prescription by increasing the dosage or amount of Xanax, Adderall or Ritalin. Regardless of how the fraudulent prescription is drafted, as long as it is in fact altered you may face the “D” felonies of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree or Forgery in the Second Degree.

If you actually drafted, created or altered the prescription fraudulently, a likely charge you will face is Forgery in the Second Degree pursuant to New York Penal Law 170.10(5). Often times, however, the police and prosecutors do not catch the person in the act of the alteration. Instead, either a search of a vehicle, a person’s clothing or even the retrieval of the forged prescription from a pharmacist will result in a charge of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree pursuant to New York Penal Law 170.25. Regardless of which offense is charged, a conviction for these felonies is punishable by up to seven years in state prison.

June 7, 2010

Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument: A Legal Presumption in New York That May Impact Your Criminal Defense (NY PL 170.27)

by Jeremy Saland

If you possess a fake, fraudulent or forged credit card, you may be charged with a “D” felony in New York in violation of New York Penal Law 170.25, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree. It makes no difference whether the credit card is completely fake, has altered names on it, incorrect information on the magnetic strip or is fraudulent in many other ways. In fact, depending on how the credit card is manipulated, you may also face numerous other felonies including, but not limited to, Identity Theft in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree. These crimes are “D” and “E” felonies punishable by up to seven and four years in state prison respectively.

A common defense to the charge of possessing a forged credit card asserted by the accused is that they were not using the alleged fake credit card. Even if they were using the forged credit card, the accused may argue that they were unaware that the credit card was in fact a forged instrument (fake). While this may be a viable defense, prosecutors won’t merely roll over. Certainly, it is the prosecution’s burden to prove your knowledge and intent (Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument requires your intent to defraud or deceive another), but is there anything in their legal arsenal that may assist them in proving that you knew that the credit or debit card was in fact forged despite your claim?

May 24, 2010

Possessing Counterfeit Money & Currency in New York State: Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree (NY PL 170.30) & Your NY Criminal Defense

by Jeremy Saland

You go into a restaurant in Manhattan or store in Brooklyn and pay with cash. It turns out, one of the $20 or $100 dollar bills is fake and a forgery. In the alternative, you are arrested for an unrelated charge in Queens and when you are searched, the police recover numerous counterfeit $50 dollar bills. Unfortunately, you find yourself under arrest and charged with a crime and in need of a New York criminal defense lawyer experienced in counterfeit money crimes, Forgery and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument. As you wrap your head around the turn of events you begin to wonder about the crimes you may now face, what the potential punishments are and what are your defenses.

New York Crimes for Possessing Counterfeit Money

May 17, 2010

New York Criminal Defense & Grand Larceny Resource Page: Education is a Cornerstone to Any Criminal Defense

by Jeremy Saland

The New York criminal defense attorneys at Saland Law PC are pleased to announce that we recently expanded the New York White Collar Crime section of our website. While each case requires its own analysis and the information on the website and blog should not be used as advice, the New York criminal defense lawyers and former Manhattan prosecutors at Saland Law PC view the detailed New York Grand Larceny section and accompanying blog as a top source for information on New York theft and larceny crimes. Whether you are investigated or arrested in Manhattan for Grand Larceny by Embezzlement, Brooklyn for Grand Larceny by Extortion, Westchester for Grand Larceny of a Credit Card or Debit Card, the Bronx for Grand Larceny of a Vehicle, Queens for Grand Larceny of a Firearm or any other form of Grand Larceny (NY PL 155.30, 155.35, 155.40 or 155.42) in New York, the information contained in these sections are for your review. Certainly one’s best defense to a charge of Grand Larceny is never getting involved in the crime in the first place, but educating one’s self on the law of Grand Larceny so one can understand the nuances, degrees and punishment for the crime is also invaluable.

If you have been accused of or are being investigated for Grand Larceny anywhere in New York City or the metropolitan area, please review the New York Grand Larceny section found under the White Collar Crime topic area of Saland Law PC’s website at new-york-lawyers.org. Additionally, please review NewYorkCriminalLawyerblog.Com and search for Grand Larceny or review the NY Theft Offense, NY White Collar Crime and the NY Fraud Related Offenses sections of the blog. For further information on the types of Grand Larceny cases handled by Saland Law PC and the Grand Larceny results, please review the Case Results section of the website.

May 10, 2010

New York Insurance Fraud, Grand Larceny & Your Criminal Defense: Does the Acquittal of One Charge Require the Acquittal of the Other?

by Jeremy Saland

With the search by New York State to find money to plug the budget gap, prosecutors are continuing to come down hard on New York white collar crimes where restitution or asset forfeiture may be part of a disposition. Two sets of crimes, New York Insurance Fraud (Article 176 of the NY Penal Law and New York Grand Larceny (Article 155 of the NY Penal Law, are two such crimes. In fact, often times when one is investigated, arrested or indicted for Insurance Fraud in New York, the crime of Grand Larceny is an integral part of that investigation, arrest or indictment.

While I will not address the definitions of each of these crimes (extensive information on Grand Larceny in New York and Insurance Fraud in New York can be found through the respective links), an interesting question is as follows: If you are charged with both crimes, but ultimately you are acquitted of one of those crimes, can you still be convicted of the other or is it legally “repugnant” and invalid?

May 1, 2010

Criminal Possession of Stolen Property: New York Penal Law Sections 165.40 Through 165.54: Associated Legal Presumptions & Defenses

by Jeremy Saland

Much like the New York Grand Larceny statutes, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in New York ranges from a misdemeanor (NY PL 165.40) punishable by up to one year in jail (often associated with New York shoplifting and Desk Appearance Tickets throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx) to a felony punishable by up to 8 and 1/3 to 25 years in state prison. Before addressing the legal presumptions and defenses set forth in the penal law, I will briefly address each of the varying levels of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property solely as it relates to the value of the property.

Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in Fifth Degree – NY PL 165.40

April 24, 2010

New York Penal Law 170.65: Forgery of a Vehicle Identification Number & Your Criminal Defense

by Jeremy Saland

New York Criminal defense attorneys from Manhattan and Brooklyn to Queens and Westchester County regularly represent individuals arrested or investigated for the crime of New York Forgery in its various shapes and sizes. When the Forgery in New York involves a “written instrument,” the applicable crime, depending on a few factors, is either New York Penal Law 170.05, New York Penal Law 170.10 or New York Penal Law 170.15. The latter two offenses are felonies while the first offense is a misdemeanor. One particular offense relating to Forgery that is applicable to crimes involving cars and other vehicles is New York Penal Law 170.65, Forgery of a Vehicle Identification Number.

According to New York Penal Law 170.65, a person is guilty of Forgery of a Vehicle Identification Number when, among other potential factors:

April 20, 2010

Criminal Impersonation & Your Criminal Defense: New York Penal Law Sections 190.25 & 190.26

by Jeremy Saland

Before the dawn of identity theft laws, the crime of Criminal Impersonation, pursuant to New York Penal Law sections 190.25 and 190.26, was the weapon of the assistant district attorney to prosecute fraud crimes related to one’s identification or persona in New York. This entry will address the crime of Criminal Impersonation in Second Degree (NY PL 190.25) and Criminal Impersonation in the First Degree (NY PL 190.26). A second entry will address legal decisions applicable to these laws.

Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree – New York Penal Law 190.25

March 25, 2010

Can You Be Convicted of Forgery and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in New York with Respect to the Same Instrument: New York Penal Law 170.35 & Your Forgery Defense

by Jeremy Saland

New York Forgery offenses, pursuant to New York Penal Law sections 170.05, 170.10 and 170.15, are not only distinct crimes within the realm of Forgery, but they are also separate from the crime of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument pursuant to New York Penal Law sections 170.20, 170.25 and 170.30. In light of the fact that they are unique crimes, can prosecutors charge you with forging as well as possessing the instrument you are alleged to have forged? If you can be charged with forging and possessing the same forged instrument (such as a passport or counterfeit dollar), can you also be convicted of Forgery and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument as well?

New York Penal Law 170.35 gives the simple answer to this question. According to New York Penal Law 170.35, “[i]n any prosecution for [C]riminal [P]ossession of a [F]orged [I]nstrument, it is no defense that the defendant forged or participated in the forgery of the instrument in issue; provided that a person may not be convicted of both [C]riminal [P]ossession of a [F]orged [I]nstrument and [F]orgery with respect to the same instrument.”