Meg Strickler recently signed up for some new adverting with Avvo So, after filling out all of these various things for the Avvo profile, we decided to ask some direct questions of managing partner, Meg Strickler Where did you go to law school? Emory law Have you tried jury trials at…
Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog
Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency Money Laundering
What is Bitcoin money laundering? Bitcoin money laundering is the process of using Bitcoin to conceal the origins of illegally obtained money. This can be done by transferring the Bitcoin to multiple accounts, mixing it with other Bitcoin, or using it to purchase goods or services. Some believe that Bitcoin transactions…
Cryptocurrency Fraud
We posed some questions about cryptocurrency using Bard (Google’s version of Chat GPT), First we asked, WHAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY? Its response: Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security. A cryptocurrency is difficult to counterfeit because of this security feature. A defining feature of a cryptocurrency, and…
Federal Criminal Law – Wire Fraud and Possible Alternatives
By Brandon Fitz Wire Fraud is a serious white-collar crime and is defined under 18 USC §1343 and states: Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises,…
Basics of Tax Evasion
By Maya Fouad Tax evasion is the most common federal tax crime and involves the failure to report taxes, reporting taxes inaccurately, or failing to pay taxes. Federal law defines the crime broadly; 26 U.S.C. 7201 states, “[a]ny person who willfully attempts in any manner to evade or defeat…
Covid Related Fraud Enforcement Update
On May 17, 2021, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the establishment of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force. On March 10, 2022, Garland announced Associate Deputy Attorney General Kevin Chambers as the Director For Covid-19 Fraud Enforcement. In August, 2022, President Biden signed laws that give the Department of Justice and…
Basics of a Federal Criminal Appeal
The federal criminal appellate process begins when a person is convicted at the district court. A conviction can occur after a jury trial or after a plea of guilty. If a person has entered in to a plea agreement, the person may have agreed to waive many of their rights…
Experience a Data Breach? What to do
The International Bar Association created a “President’s Task force on Cybersecurity”. Meg Strickler was appointed to serve on this prestigious task force and helped draft Cybersecurity Guidelines. Today, it is all the more important to be weary of a data breach if you own and operate a small business. Data…
How can I be charged with 18 U.S. Code § 1028A Aggravated Identity Theft?
Here is the definition from the statute, cut directly from the 11th circuit’s jury instructions: It’s a Federal crime to commit aggravated identity theft. The Defendant can be found guilty of aggravated identity theft only if all the following facts are proved beyond a reasonable doubt: (1) the Defendant knowingly…
Overview of Methods for Roadside Sobriety Testing in DUIs
Written by Maya Fouad When a police officer is conducting a roadside investigation of a suspected drunk driver, a variety of mechanisms are employed as indicators of intoxication. Law enforcement are trained to conduct specific behavioral tests and use certain devices designed to detect levels of intoxication. Officers are often…