Tax Fraud Defense Attorneys
Facing an investigation into or criminal charges of tax fraud can be an extremely fraught experience. Along with the stress of facing a federal charge, you’ll have to contend with the court of public opinion and a legal system that frequently hands out harsh sentences for white-collar crime–both as a way to punish those who would come against financial institutions and the federal government and as a deterrent to others who might consider committing the same crime. On top of this, there are a large number of crimes that fall under the umbrella term of tax fraud, all of which can be charged to a single defendant in a single case.
With all of that said, it’s greatly obvious that someone who’s facing legal trouble related to one of these charges should get in touch with competent legal representation immediately. The right defense attorney can literally be the difference between you spending the rest of your life in federal prison and having your charges reduced or even dropped altogether before you even have to step foot inside a courtroom. If you’re looking for the right legal firm for you, look no further than the experienced, skilled, and compassionate defense attorneys over at the Norman Spencer Law Group.
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What Are the Types of Tax Fraud Offenses?
As you might imagine, tax offenses are prosecuted both on the state and the federal level. There are a number of different charges that fall under tax offenses, but some of them include things like false statements, document falsification, and conspiracy. Then, if someone fails to file a return or files a fraudulent return or otherwise evades paying their liabilities, they can be found in violation of this statute and could face criminal charges as a result.
For individuals, the fine can be up to $100,000, and the associated prison time can be up to five years. For businesses who are found liable, the fine can be upwards of $500,000 as well as restitution of whatever the unpaid liability was. Yet another offense that is covered under this statute has to do with aiding in the preparation of a fraudulent return or returns.
What About the IRS?
Any criminal investigations into matters of tax fraud are handled by the Internal Revenue Service or the IRS. They have a dedicated Criminal Investigation Division devoted to these types of cases as well as the personnel and resources to pursue and prosecute them. These situations typically begin as civil audits, which are not in themselves criminal in nature.
If, however, any discrepancies are found in the course of such an audit, then a criminal investigation will begin, and any defendants involved could end up being on the hook for any number of criminal charges related to tax fraud. In situations like this, it’s not at all uncommon for the target or targets of an investigation to be completely unaware that an investigation is even going on. However, if someone believes that they might be under investigation, then the best thing for them to do would be to get in touch with a competent defense attorney immediately.
What to Do if Investigated For Tax Fraud by the IRS?
Regardless of if you’re only facing investigation or have been formally charged with a crime, you should not engage in any conversations with investigators or destroy or alter any of the information you might have on file. And again, you should contact a defense lawyer immediately and give them all of the information that you can. The more you tell them, the more they can help to fight your charges, ideally getting them reduced or dropped entirely.
You’ll have to walk the fine line of cooperating with the authorities only to the extent that you’d be legally required to without telling them that could incriminate you. That’s why it’s imperative that you get a lawyer immediately. That way, if you need to talk to the authorities, you can do so while counsel is there in the room with you, advising you on what to do or not do, what to say or not say.
This kind of intervention is invaluable, especially early on when investigators and prosecutors will be doing their best to trip you up, provide them incriminating information, or even accept a plea deal that is not in your best interest, all so that a prosecution attorney can chalk up another win for his resume. Don’t become a pawn in a game that they don’t want you to win–get the help you need to properly defend yourself in and out of court.
Who You Can Turn To
When you’re facing federal criminal charges of tax fraud, the last thing you want is to be met with a sea of potential legal firms to choose from, not knowing which one is experienced enough to properly defend you and fight your charges. Not all legal firms are equal, and this disparity in experience and skill can be the difference between you spending the rest of your life in prison or getting your charges greatly reduced or even dropped entirely without ever having to go to court.
Norman Spencer Law Group IRS Tax Fraud Attorneys
With a combined 70+ years of experience defending all types of cases, including ones just like yours, the Norman Spencer Law Group has what it takes to defend you. We can handle cases of any size or complexity, and we’ve fought for our clients at both the state and the federal level. So if you’re facing any type of legal trouble when it comes to matters of tax fraud, get in touch with us today. A member of our team will be in touch as soon as possible, and we’ll get started on getting you the help that you need.