In United States v. Beavers , ___ F.3d ___, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 12469 (7th Cir. 2014), here , the defendant was convicted of multiple counts of tax fraud. The facts are within a range of what might be expected given his profession -- money flowed to... Read More

BY: CHARLES E. "CHUCK" JAMES, JR. With multiple state and federal investigations ongoing, all eyes are on Richmond, Virginia. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice continues to devote considerable resources to other allegations of bribery... Read More

Arson is probably the dumbest form of insurance fraud. With modern municipal fire departments arson fires seldom totally destroy the premises, evidence is always left for arson investigators to review, and firefighters and the public are exposed to danger... Read More

No one running an ambulance company ever planned to go to prison for doing his or her job. But that is a real possibility if the government knocks on the door, and the owner or manager is dishonest in his or her response to the inquiry. CMS contractors... Read More

In its recent decision in Certain Interested Underwriters at Lloyd’s v. AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company , 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 159639 (S.D. Fla. Nov. 7, 2013) [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ], the United States District... Read More

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal made clear that although Congressmen may write the law they are not above the law. Former Arizona Congressman Richard Renzi learned this lesson the hard way when he was convicted by a jury on charges of conspiracy, honest... Read More

Federal authorities have arrested three business owners and a title company executive in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme that involved approximately 800 real estate properties and about $45 million in loans. The two-count indictment charges... Read More

In its recent decision in National Reimbursement Group Inc. v. Gemini Ins. Co ., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118435 (M.D. Ga. Aug. 21, 2013) [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ], the United States District Court for the Middle District of... Read More

In United States v. Phillips , ___ F.3d ___, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 18430 (7th Cir. 2013) (en banc), here , the Seventh Circuit reversed convictions under "18 U.S.C. § 1014 [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ], which criminalizes... Read More

When a party pleads guilty to multiple crimes in open court and with the advice of competent counsel he or she can expect to spend time in jail or prison and to have no opportunity to withdraw the plea. However, in People v. Dobson , Not Reported in Cal... Read More

Because Medicare and Medicaid pay health care providers promptly and without any inquiry into the probity of the claim health insurance fraud is a fairly easy crime to commit with little chance of being arrested or convicted. Perhaps that is the reason... Read More

According to a DOJ press release here (emphasis supplied by JAT): Asem Elgawhary, the former principal vice president of Bechtel Corporation and general manager of the Power Generation Engineering and Services Company (PGESCo), was indicted by a grand... Read More

Health Insurance Fraud is rampant. Most people convicted of health insurance fraud are doctors and other health care providers. Where most of the money goes, however, is to people taking advantage of free or subsidized health care benefits when they are... Read More

Arson for profit is a difficult crime to prove. The prosecution must both prove that the fire was intentionally set and that the owner and person insured caused the fire with the intent to defraud the insurer. Insurance fraud, on the other hand, is fairly... Read More