Fraud Crimes – Orlando Criminal Attorney

When a person is charged with fraud they may face significant penalties. If you have been charged with fraud, you should speak with an experienced Orlando Criminal Attorney at your earliest opportunity to learn about your rights and the defenses that may be available to you.

Fraud:

Fraud typically involves an alleged act of misstatement, misrepresentation, or omission on the part of the individual charged with the crime. The term fraud is general in nature and there are a number of specific types of fraudulent criminal actions.

Penalties for fraud can vary depending on the specific offense. Most fraudulent crimes fall under chapter 817 of the Florida Statutes.

Scheme to Defraud:

Scheme to defraud means a systematic, ongoing course of conduct with intent to defraud one or more persons, or with intent to obtain property from one or more persons by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises or willful misrepresentations of a future act.

Communications Fraud Act:

In recent years, many of these schemes to defraud use communications technology to solicit victims and conceal their identities. In response the Florida legislature developed the Florida Communications Fraud Act.

Criminal Penalties for Scheme to Defraud:

Any person who engages in a scheme to defraud and obtains property thereby is guilty of organized fraud, punishable as follows:

If the amount of property obtained has an aggregate value of $50,000 or more, the violator is guilty of a first degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in State prison.

If the amount of property obtained has an aggregate value of $20,000 or more, but less than $50,000, the violator is guilty of a second degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in State prison.

If the amount of property obtained has an aggregate value of less than $20,000, the violator is guilty of a third felony punishable by up to 5 years in State prison.

Any person who engages in a scheme to defraud and, in furtherance of that scheme, communicates with any person with intent to obtain property from that person is guilty, for each such act of communication, of communications fraud, punishable as follows:

If the value of property obtained or endeavored to be obtained by the communication is valued at $300 or more, the violator is guilty of a third degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in State prison.

If the value of the property obtained or endeavored to be obtained by the communication is valued at less than $300, the violator is guilty of a first misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in the County jail.

Experienced Orlando Criminal Attorney – Fraud Crimes:

If you or a loved one has been charged with fraud, contact us today to speak with an experienced criminal attorney. In many fraud cases, a properly prepared defense by a criminal lawyer will result in either reduced penalties, reduced charges, or a dismissal of the charges. Even in fraud cases where the evidence of guilt is overwhelming, a properly prepared defense and presentation of mitigating circumstances by an Orlando Criminal Attorney can result in significant decreases in the penalties you receive.

Florida Statutes – Fraud:

Speak with an Orlando criminal attorney or review the following Florida Statutes for more information on some crimes involving fraud:

Florida Statute 817.03 – Making false statement to obtain property or credit.
Florida Statute 817.034 – Florida Communications Fraud Act.
Florida Statute 817.355 – Fraudulent creation or possession of admission ticket.
Florida Statute 817.36 – Resale of tickets.
Florida Statute 817.361 – Resale of multiday or multievent ticket.
Florida Statute 817.49 – False reports of commission of crimes; penalty.
Florida Statute 817.54 – Obtaining of mortgage, mortgage note, promissory note, etc., by false representation.
Florida Statute 817.545 – Mortgage fraud.

Fraud Crimes – Orlando Criminal Attorney Services:

Speak with a Orlando criminal attorney and review our website for more information on Florida criminal offenses: