Conviction in $25 Million Kern County IRS Tax Fraud Case
Miguel Martinez pled guilty to conspiracy to submit $25 million in fraudulent individual federal income tax returns to the International Revenue Service.
You Could Be Unknowingly Breaking Federal Law
What is “structuring” cash transactions? Many people, including many business owners and professionals, are not aware of the federal crime of “structuring” cash transactions. It is very possible to unknowingly violate this law and then face severe consequences. Almost everyone knows about ‘money laundering’ and the government’s efforts to track ‘dirty money’ from crimes such…
Recovering from Ponzi Schemes During the COVID-19 Pandemic
It is no secret that Ponzi schemes are illegal and financially devastating to its victims, but they are not always so easy to spot. However, when markets are dropping and finances start shrinking, they become increasingly exposed. Case in point: the financial crash of 2008 revealed Bernie Madoff’s decades-long success of ripping off investors when…
COVID-19 Scams Rising: How You Can Protect Yourself
It is no secret that fraudsters tend to prey on the weak or vulnerable. And right now, the majority of Americans are feeling the crunch of the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial uncertainty and an economy in near shambles make the perfect recipe for scammers to start taking advantage of those in desperation. Consumers and businesses alike…
COVID-19 Employer Relief is Real, But So are Scams
As the COVID-19 upended the business world, employers celebrated when the CARES Act passed, which granted more than $376 billion in small business relief and gave their employees a financial cushion, too. As employers and workers alike were eager to claim their share, scammers were just as delighted for the new opportunities to swindle Americans…
California Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Debit Card Fraud and Student Loan Fraud
A California man was recently sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for debit card fraud and student loan fraud. Mordechay Altit, 34, of Elk Grove, had pleaded guilty in August to two counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. Altit’s sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell. Court…
Fresno Man Sentenced After Conviction for Student Loan Fraud Scheme
A Fresno man was recently sentenced for his actions in a student loan fraud scheme. Keith Lazell Woolridge, 41, was convicted in July of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft in furtherance of the scheme. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Anthony W. Ishii to serve three and a half…
Federal Jury Convicts California Man In $2.5 Million Ponzi Scheme Case
A federal jury recently convicted a Sacramento, California man for his role in a massive Ponzi scheme. James G. Berghius, 41, was convicted on four counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering in furtherance of a Ponzi scheme he had been operating. According to a press release from…
Visalia Business Owner Convicted of Workers’ Compensation Insurance Premium Fraud
A business owner in Visalia was recently convicted of worker’s compensation insurance premium fraud. Douglas Lambert, 48, was found guilty of underreporting employee payroll to Clarendon National, his insurance carrier, and was ordered to pay restitution of over $110,300 to the carrier and to the State of California. Lambert pleaded guilty to one count of insurance…
California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy
A man from Elk Grove, California, was recently sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to commit mortgage fraud. Sean Patrick Gjerde, 37, received two and a half years for the fraud conspiracy as well as for making false statements in loan applications. Gjerde pleaded guilty to the charges in December of last year. According to a…