Title 18 of the United States Code makes all forms of bank fraud federal offenses under the law. These crimes are often committed out of desperation, and while society may view people who commit bank fraud as greedy criminals, the truth is that any person can wind up facing criminal allegations. Fraud charges can be leveled against anyone, no matter how rich or poor, and the impact of being labeled a criminal can be devastating. If you reside in the L.A. area and are facing one of these charges, you need a competent bank fraud lawyer to help you learn more about your options as a defendant.
Although all bank fraud cases involve federal crime, the California Penal Code additionally criminalizes many of these offenses, meaning you could face both federal and state charges if you are accused of engaging in bank fraud. If this is the case, you need a defense attorney who understands both federal-level and state-level laws pertaining to the specific type of bank fraud you are accused of.
Many different crimes related to money and involving financial institutions such as banks or credit unions are classified as bank fraud. A few of the more common types of bank fraud include wire fraud, check fraud and loan fraud.
There are various ways in which the wire transfer system can be manipulated in a fraudulent manner. For example, if someone asks a person to wire them money under false pretenses or promises to repay the wired funds via a cashier’s check at a later date but never makes good on the promise, this could be considered an act of wire fraud under the federal law.
Using checks—either real or fake—in various deceitful ways in order to defraud money is another type of bank fraud. Forging signatures on real checks in order to funnel funds for use by someone other than the payee is one manner of check fraud, as is creating fake checks and depositing or cashing them.
Knowingly falsifying information on a loan application in order to obtain funds is one common form of loan fraud. Another type of loan fraud can involve having an “insider” at a financial institution who knowingly issues a loan to a person who does not qualify for a said loan by forging or otherwise manipulating loan documentation information.
When you are ready to reach out to a bank fraud lawyer in Manhattan Beach, the attorneys at Okabe and Haushalter are here to help. We know criminal law like no one else, and our skilled defense team can tackle any bank fraud case in a court of law. We will work together with you to create a defense strategy that will enable us to get the best outcome possible for you under the law. We have helped our clients get charges and sentences reduced or even thrown out of court, and we may be able to help you do the same. Call now for a free case evaluation.
