A criminal conviction can affect many different aspects of an individual's life, including his or her freedom, finances and future job prospects. When the accused is someone famous, criminal charges, even if proven false later on, can affect his or her reputation and relationships with loved ones. When facing charges, the accused should aggressively defending him or herself from the very beginning to maximize the chances of getting the charges dropped or the penalties reduced.
The husband of one of the stars of the television show "Real Housewives of Atlanta" is facing identity theft and fraud charges after a woman facing criminal investigation named him as her accomplice. According to the woman, who was tied to bank accounts containing around $3 million, the accused man allegedly stole identities and had her pretend to be those individuals so she could open bank accounts in their names. Then, she claims she would deposit fraudulent checks in the accounts, including retirement, auto loan and U.S. Treasury checks.
A website obtained the complaint filed against the reality star. It alleges the reality star opened a fake auto dealership in his name and then applied for auto loans in the names of the stolen identities. He is currently out on pre trial bail.
Though prior criminal accusations should not come into play when new criminal charges arise, an Atlanta resident who has a previous criminal conviction may find him or herself under greater scrutiny and may have to fight harder to prove their innocence. Enlisting the help of an experienced identity theft defense attorney may be able to help the accused individual protect his or her legal rights and therefore his or her innocence.