Posts by Lee Koch
What is Deferred Prosecution?
Deferred prosecution can be one of the better case outcomes either at the federal or state level, depending on what you’ve been accused of, how much evidence the prosecution has, and what your alternatives are. Under a deferred prosecution agreement, the prosecutor agrees not to pursue a conviction if you will agree to certain conditions.…
Read MoreHow to Protect Yourself from Criminal Charges When You’re a Victim of Identity Theft
Adding insult to injury doesn’t even begin to cover it. Victims of identity theft already have so much to deal with: restoring their credit, putting out fraud alerts, getting documents reissued. But identity theft brings another risk, one that’s not always talked about. The risk that you’ll be arrested for a crime you didn’t commit…
Read MoreSmall Acts, Big Trouble: The Meaning of a Federal Conspiracy Charge
You gave your buddy a little money and now you are under arrest. Or you worked for a company and the CEO got into big trouble…and now you’re in big trouble too. What’s happening here? What’s happening is you’re being accused of criminal conspiracy, and depending on what the other person did you could be…
Read MoreTypes of Immunity in a Federal Criminal Case
If you watch a lot of crime television you’ve probably heard more than one fictional arrestee say, “I want immunity” to investigators. When they do, the audience understands he’s not going to be prosecuted, and that he’ll probably enter the witness protection program. But there is more than one type of immunity, and not all…
Read More5 Mistakes to Avoid When You’re Under Investigation
Unless you receive a target letter, it’s hard to know if you’re the subject of a federal investigation. There are some subtle signs. Certainly if you’ve done something wrong you should seriously consider you may be under investigation if you start seeing any of them. Any time you begin to suspect you are under investigation…
Read More4 Possible Defenses for Wire Fraud
Accused of wire fraud? The government thinks you’ve used a cell phone or a computer to intentionally scam someone out of their money, and that your activity has crossed state lines. Wire fraud is a federal crime. It’s an extension of the older mail fraud charge. Take the charges seriously, but don’t panic. There are…
Read More7 Signs You’re Under Federal Criminal Investigation
Here at Koch Law we often tell clients or potential clients to call our offices as soon as they know they’re under investigation. Things can go south pretty quickly when the federal government is building a case against you. But how would you know? While it’s impossible to know for sure, there are some signs…
Read More5 Ways to Protect Yourself Against IRS Tax Fraud Charges
Though the IRS pursues very few individuals for tax fraud, it’s one of the scariest charges you can face. In addition to receiving jail time and being saddled with a criminal record, the IRS can charge you 75% penalties if you are convicted of willful tax evasion. The good news is the IRS really kind…
Read MoreWhat You Should Know About the New NYC Revenge Porn Law
Think twice before you hit the “send” button on that racy picture you took of your ex last year. Sharing illicit photographs without the subject’s permission, a practice known as “revenge porn,” is now illegal in the State of New York. It’s a bill that took five years to pass. It died in the Republican-controlled…
Read MoreCan Your Search History Really Get You Arrested?
The short answer is yes. It’s happened before. Michele Catalano and her husband got visits from law enforcement over their Google searches.. Gilberto Valle got arrested for his (admittedly disturbing) search history. And whatever you think of these individuals, what they chose to search, or the reaction of anyone involved, their cases prove it’s…
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