In its simplest and most common definition, money laundering is the practice of taking funds gained from illicit activities and running them through a series of transactions to make them look like they came from legitimate sources. In other words, it’s the process of making “dirty” money look “clean” (hence the term ‘laundering’). In a… Read More
Felonies
Ann Marie Howard Aguiar of Jacksonville Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Charges
A 47-year-old Jacksonville, FL woman named Ann Marie Howard Aguiar entered a guilty plea earlier this month in federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, as part of her participation in a national tax refund fraud scheme originating in Nashua, New Hampshire. In her admission of guilt, Aguiar confessed to being… Read More
What Is Proposition 47?
Proposition 47 is an initiative put on the California ballot this year by petition signatures by registered voters. In effect, the initiative reduces certain non-violent drug and property offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, which means reduced sentences and penalties in the state for those who are convicted of certain specific non-serious and non-violent drug and/or… Read More
Three Tallahassee Women Arrested for Medicaid Fraud
In October 2014, three women from the Tallahassee area were arrested on suspicion of Medicaid fraud, claiming tens of thousands of dollars in benefits for services that were never rendered. According to an investigation by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), two Tallahassee women (Melissa L. Simmons, 39, and Felicia S. Simmons,… Read More
Former Florida Governor Candidate Arrested For Fraud
Yinka Abodeda Adeshinka, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state of Florida who was defeated in the 2014 Republican Primary Election, was arrested on October 13 at the Tallahassee Regional Airport on two counts of fraud. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Adeshinka allegedly fabricated approximately $150,000 of the $182,000 in… Read More
Could Private Prisons Alter the Judicial Process for your Case?
Privately run prisons have been playing an increasingly prominent role in the American penal system since they were introduced in the 1980s. Although the total US prison population only grew by 18% between 1999 and 2010, the population incarcerated in for-profit prisons grew by 80%, according to a 2012 report by The Sentencing Project. In… Read More
Does Leniency Offered in Your Prior Cases Affect your Current Indictment?
If this is not the first time you’ve faced an indictment, you might be wondering whether any leniency you’ve been offered in your prior cases might affect your current indictment. There are a lot of factors to consider with this question. For example—are the current charges related to the prior charges for which you were… Read More
Could Commonwealth v. Newman Affect Your Federal Drug Case
If you’re currently facing federal drug charges, there’s a chance your attorney has mentioned a recent Pennsylvania Superior Court decision in a case called Commonwealth v. Newman. Could this ruling affect your federal drug case? Let’s break it down and discuss. Looking at The Background To understand the potential impact of Commonwealth v. Newman on… Read More
Why Was State Senator Wright Forced to Resign?
On September 15th, Democratic State Senator Roderick Wright announced that he would officially resign from office on September 22nd. Senator Wright was forced to resign as a result of being threatened with an expulsion vote. The reason he was given the decision between resignation or expulsion is because he was convicted of felony perjury and… Read More
When police procedures are not followed, tragedy may ensue
Regardless of the organization that an officer represents, there are proper police procedures that must be followed. That is true even in arrests by officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the FBI or other government agencies. Unfortunately, the recent tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri suggests that the potential for police misconduct should be a national… Read More