Accusations of fraud, whether securities, mortgage or tax fraud, should be taken seriously-if an Atlanta resident is found guilty of fraud charges, they might find themselves facing severe penalties. At the heart of all fraud charges is the belief that the accused has misrepresented himself/herself to someone with the intention to deceive them in order to gain something of value, usually money or property.
A Georgia convict was charged with 10 counts of scheme to defraud/impersonate a police officer along with his suspected girlfriend, who was charged with scheme to defraud. The 38-year-old man is already serving a 20-year sentence for various unrelated crimes.
According to the arrest warrant, the couple was defrauding elderly people. The female accused would allegedly collect newspaper articles about red-light cameras and forward the information to the accused male. He would then contact the older residents of that location, according to the warrant, and pretend to be a lieutenant with the Sheriff's office. Allegedly, he informed the elderly victim that they had missed a court date for running a red light and they should pay a fine in order to avoid incarceration. Authorities believe he called 10 people, of which allegedly two people paid the fine.
Even though the accused may have committed unrelated crimes, an Atlanta resident is innocent until proven guilty of the specific current charges they are facing. An experienced fraud defense attorney can assist the accused in coming up with a defense strategy that is aggressive while protecting their best interests. Everyone deserves a free and fair trial regardless of their past and an experienced professional may be able to ensure the accused gets one.