Milan Patel and four other defendants were charged both by the SEC and the Department of Justice for their role in an options trading scheme in the Northern District of Georgia. Another defendant, Bart Ross was sentenced a few years ago for the same scheme. In total, In total, the…
A federal criminal trial consists of several different stages. The below will analyze a ONE defendant trial. But, more often than not, trials can consist of multiple defendants at trial. This just augments the time needed for each stage. Jury Selection also known as Voir Dire Jury selection is one…
This month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Kousisis v. United States, a case that could have significant implications on the future of federal white-collar prosecutions. Specifically, the Court is considering the boundaries of federal fraud statutes in scenarios where deceptive practices are employed without causing direct financial harm…
As we explained in our prior post about federal child pornography laws, the consequences of a child pornography or CSAM (“Child Sexual Abuse Material”) conviction are severe and life-altering. And the collateral consequence of being on the sex offender registry can be devastating. Early on, Conaway & Strickler defended cases…
In many fields, maintaining a professional license is crucial for career advancement and job security. Physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmaceutical technicians and other professionals spend years training before becoming licensed and employed. However, allegations of misconduct, incompetence, or violations of professional standards can jeopardize this license and your livelihood. Understanding how…
The Department of Justice investigates and prosecutes cases where large amounts of money is alleged to have been taken. Examples of white collar crimes are money laundering, bank, wire and mail fraud, tax evasion, insider trading, insurance fraud, mortgage fraud, bribery and embezzlement. Of course Homeland Security, the FBI, the…
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…
The “Safety Valve” exception is a statutory exception to mandatory minimum sentencing laws. A safety valve allows a judge to sentence a person below the mandatory minimum term if certain conditions are met. The “Safety Valve” provision is a provision of law codified in 18 United States Code §3553(f). It…
On April 11, 2022, the Northern District of Georgia in Atlanta announced the creation of a new pretrial diversion court, the Accountability, Treatment, and Leadership Court “ATL Court“. It is formed with the Northern District of Georgia, the U.S. Probation Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Defender Program,…
What is a Grand Jury? The purpose of the grand jury is to determine whether or not there is probable cause to believe that any federal felony has been committed. A typical federal grand jury consists of between 16-23 citizens drawn from the community. The jurors meet in a closed…