Pennsylvania Government Fraud Attorney
Fraud against the government may consist of fraud in connection with federal government contracting and fraud in connection with federal and/or federally-funded entitlement programs, including public housing, agricultural programs, defense procurement fraud, educational programs, and corporate frauds. As it relates to federal government contracting, investigations often involve bribery in contracts or procurement, collusion among contractors, false or double billing, false certification of the quality of parts or of test results, and substitution of bogus or otherwise inferior parts. If you are facing charges for government fraud in violation of state or federal laws, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. Contact Brian Zeiger for a free consultation.
The Law
Laws pertaining to government fraud are contained in Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Section 1001 (false statements), Section 287 (false claims), Section 371 (conspiracy to defraud the government), Section 1341 (mail fraud), and Sections 1341 and 1343 (wire fraud). Government fraud cases may be prosecuted under these criminal statutes and through civil proceedings under common law rights of action.
Under criminal proceedings, the U.S. Attorneys Office conducts a review and prosecutes criminal law violations. Claims of fraud against the government involving more than $1 million in single damages plus civil penalties would also be handled by the Commercial Litigation Branch of the U.S. Attorneys Office’s Civil Division.
Common Type of Government Fraud
- Whistleblower: One type of government fraud proceeding is called a qui tam action, a lawsuit brought by a private citizen or “whistle blower” against a person or company who is believed to have violated the law in the performance of a contract with the government or in violation of a government regulation. In a qui tam action, the plaintiff (the person bringing the suit) will be entitled to a percentage of the recovery of the penalty (which may include large amounts for breach of contract) as a reward for exposing the wrongdoing and recovering funds for the government.
Contact Brian Zeiger
When you need a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania attorney to defend you when arrested and charged with a with a white-collar crime, contact Brian Zeiger. It is critical to have an experienced attorney advocating on your behalf. Brian Zeiger is an experienced criminal defense attorney who will vigorously defend your rights. An experienced criminal defense attorney can help you determine whether you have any grounds for dismissal of the charges, explore plea options, or represent you at trial. Only someone familiar with the criminal court system and cases like yours will know how good your chances are for a favorable outcome. A knowledgeable attorney will take all of this into consideration, assist you in making decisions about your case, and protect your rights.
Contact The Zeiger Firm today at (215) 546-0340 for a consultation, and let us help you.
Sources:
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/white-collar_crime
- http://criminal-law.freeadvice.com/criminal-law/criminal-law/government-fraud.html
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1031
- http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/federal-fraud.html
- http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/white-collar-crime.html
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/government_fraud
- http://www.nolo.com/dictionary/white-collar-crime-term.html