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Federal Counterfeiting Defense Attorney
Experienced Federal Counterfeiting Defense Attorney: Protect Your Rights and Freedom
Counterfeiting: Impact and Significance
Counterfeiting is a severe crime that poses a grave threat to the financial system of our nation. The federal government considers it an offense punishable by imprisonment and significant fines. However, with strategic initiatives, advanced training programs, and evolving technology, law enforcement agencies have developed ways to target those involved in counterfeiting and their distribution networks.
Legal Defense Against Counterfeiting Charges
If you are facing charges related to counterfeit money, goods, or documents, or are targeted for investigation, you need an experienced federal defense attorney like Attorney Todd Spodek to aggressively fight for your rights and protect your freedom. At Spodek Law Group, we have extensive experience in helping individuals with counterfeiting charges. We possess the necessary resources, skills, and knowledge to defend you successfully.
According to federal law (18 U.S.C § 471), counterfeiting is defined as the creation or distribution of fake or counterfeit securities such as bonds; currencies such as dollars; goods such as watches; national identity cards; passports; credit cards; electronics or clothing among others specified document types. It is illegal under federal statutes to use, sell, or create fake United States currency notes or foreign securities.
Additionally, it’s unlawful under federal law (18 U.S.C § 474) to sell images intended for creating counterfeit currency notes without authorization from the Secretary of Treasury. Federal law also makes it a crime (18 U.S.C § 513) to forge various fake documents including government contract documents, lending institutions’ documents, customs import duty documents among others aimed at defrauding the US government.
Defending Against Counterfeiting Charges
Challenging the prosecutors’ claims of intent becomes the only viable defense strategy along with other tactics. This means that to aggressively fight charges of counterfeiting, you need an experienced defense attorney like Attorney Todd Spodek who understands federal counterfeiting statutes and how the court system works.
The Potential Penalties for Counterfeiting Crimes
Being convicted for counterfeiting can lead to severe penalties that can significantly impact your life. For instance:
– Counterfeiting currency or securities: a jail term of up to twenty years and/or a fine amounting to $250,000.
– Forgery, distribution, or creation of fake documents: imprisonment and/or a fine
– Trafficking of counterfeit goods: imprisonment and/or a fine
Why Opt for Spodek Law Group
At Spodek Law Group, we have a deep understanding of law and wealth of experience in handling counterfeiting cases. Our team of highly skilled attorneys, led by Attorney Todd Spodek, work tirelessly ensuring our clients’ rights are protected throughout the legal process while fighting aggressively on their behalf.
Contact Us Now
If facing charges related to counterfeiting, do not hesitate in contacting us at Spodek Law Group. Our attorneys will work diligently investigating your case, developing a robust defense strategy, fighting aggressively on your behalf, ensuring your rights and freedom are protected throughout the legal process.
Counterfeiting is a crime that most people are aware of. In general, when most people think about counterfeiting they immediately start to think about someone illegally trying to copy money and then pass it off as real money. While this is the most common form of counterfeiting, the crime actually refers to a much broader sense of creating a fake item or bank note and trying to pass it off as real.
Examples and Punishment
Depending on the type of counterfeiting, someone that is charged with the crime could be facing a lot of penalties in terms of fines and even imprisonment. The crime can be considered a state crime, but is often brought to the federal level. If it involved copying and creating a fake bank note or other currency, it will automatically be considered a federal crime and could also be considered a felony depending on the amount of money that is being made through the counterfeiting process.
Most of the time, chargers are brought out on people that are in possession of counterfeit items and try to pass them off as real. This is a serious form of fraud in which you are technically defrauding the recipient of the fraudulent bill and the US Government. The penalties from this can be severe and can include imprisonment in federal prison for as much as 25 years. However, the amount of time you will spend in prison will vary considerably based on the scope and size of the crime.
Another situation in which you could be charged with counterfeiting is if you simply hold machinery, materials, and other equipment that can be used for counterfeiting. You will typically be given an additional charge if it is determined that you are holding these items and have used them for counterfeiting purposes in the past.
Possible Defenses
If you are charged with counterfeiting, there are a number of different ways that you could go about defending the charges. One of the most common is to simply state that you did not know that the bills or other goods you held were fake. If this is a small isolated incident, this is likely a very good defense that could help you to have the charges dropped.
If the evidence of the crime was found through an illegal process, you could also have the charges dropped. This is especially true if the police officers did not have a warrant to search you or your home.
Benefits of Legal Support
Since criminal counterfeiting is such a serious crime and charge that can come with some very severe penalties, it is almost always a good idea to hire a criminal defense lawyer if you are charged. A lawyer will be able to work with you and the prosecutors to develop a good defense plan. In many situations, this can include taking a plea deal to a lesser charge. This may allow you to avoid getting out of jail time completely. However, you will likely be on a strict probation for a period of time.