White collar crimes, also known as financial crimes, are serious offenses in Southwestern Louisiana. Embezzlement, fraud, Ponzi schemes, copyright infringement and money laundering are some examples of white collar crimes prosecuted in both state and federal courts. Depending on the nature of the crime, a conviction for a white collar crime can lead to serious consequences including incarceration, hefty fines and probation. However, such allegations often result from complicated investigations.
Recently, two New Orleans police officers were accused of payroll fraud by allegedly patrolling a housing development while earning overtime as city police officers. According to published reports, the Federal Bureau of Investigation uncovered the situation while watching the officers who were suspected of performing work at both jobs, simultaneously.
The manager of Guste Homes stated she was unaware that the two police officers were under FBI investigation for their alleged fraudulent acts. The two officers have been arrested and charged with payroll fraud.
The reported incidents of this case can damage the reputation of both police officers, who will need to legally defend themselves against these damaging allegations. In fact, the report chose to cite one of the officer’s past in an effort to sensationalize the story. Still, that officer remains in “good standing” with the HANO pending the outcome of the investigation.
Building a defense in any type of case, including one like this involving allegations of fraud, begins with an investigation and accumulation of facts that lead to the charges. A defendant and attorney can analyze the facts and create as strong a defense as possible in working toward the best possible outcome. A thorough, independent investigation often is the only way to uncover important facts that can be used in a court trial.
Source: WWLTV.com, “Tower of Trouble: Main cop in housing complex has troubling history,” Mike Perlstein, Nov. 19, 2013
