White Collar Crimes Attorney in Phoenix

Taking the Identity of Another Person or Entity

Identity theft manifests in various forms and is unfortunately prevalent in the state of Arizona. Among the prevalent forms of this offense in Arizona are acts related to employers and credit card fraud. As defined by ARS § 13.2008, identity theft occurs when:

1. An individual knowingly acquires, purchases, manufactures, records, possesses, or utilizes someone else’s personal identifying information without their consent, with the intent to employ that person’s identity for unlawful purposes or to cause harm to them.
2. An individual knowingly accepts personal identifying information from another individual who is not the actual person associated with that information.

 Instances of this offense can take various forms. For example, it includes using someone else’s name for any purpose, adopting their identity to make unauthorized purchases or obtain services using their favorable credit history, exploiting another person’s insurance information to receive medical treatment, or misusing a business’s identity to secure credit.

 In Arizona, assuming another person’s identity or knowingly accepting it constitutes a class 4 felony, carrying potential penalties ranging from 1.5 to 12 years of incarceration and fines of up to $150,000. If the offense results in harm to five or more individuals or leads to a loss exceeding $3,000, it escalates to “aggravated identity theft,” reclassified as a class 3 felony.

A.R.S 13-2310

Fraudulent Schemes & Artifices

Fraudulent schemes occur when:

• An individual knowingly acquires any advantage through false or deceptive means as part of a plan to deprive another person of their intangible right to honest services.
• Instances of fraudulent schemes encompass a wide range of actions, including but not limited to activities such as blackmail, bribery, bank fraud, extortion, embezzlement, investment schemes, and insurance fraud.

 A first-time conviction for fraudulent schemes can result in a class 2 felony, carrying a presumptive prison sentence ranging from 3 to 12.5 years. If the individual has a previous conviction, the presumptive sentence increases to a range of 4.5 to 23 years in prison. For those with two prior convictions, it is presumed that the prison term will fall within the range of 10.5 to 35 years.

Moreover, if the benefit the defendant derives from committing the offense exceeds $100,000, probation is unavailable, and the entire prison term must be served. Our firm has handled numerous white collar crime cases, providing effective defense strategies tailored to the unique circumstances of each case. We understand the complexities of Arizona’s white collar crime laws and will vigorously advocate for your rights.

A.R.S. 13-2002

Forgery

Forgery is committed when a person purposely defrauds someone by falsely making, completing, or altering a written instrument. Forgery is also committed when a person knowingly possesses a forged written instrument or offers a forged instrument that contains false information.

 Instruments that are commonly forged include:

• Checks
• Money Orders
• Deeds
• Titles
• Bonds
• Currency
• Corporate Documents

In addition, the possession of five or more forged instruments may give rise to an inference that the instruments are possessed with an intent to defraud. This means that just having the documents may be incriminating enough to have criminal charges brought upon you.

Forgery is a class 4 felony in Arizona, which has a presumptive sentence of between 1.5 and 12 years in prison and fines of no less than $750. If the forged instrument is used in connection with the purchase, lease, or renting of a dwelling that is used as a drop house, it is then likely to be moved to a Class 3 felony, bringing with it a presumptive sentence of 2.5 to 20 years in prison. 

Our firm has handled numerous white collar crime cases, providing effective defense strategies tailored to the unique circumstances of each case. We understand the complexities of Phoenix’s white collar crime laws and will vigorously advocate for your rights. Call us at (480) 864-3807 or use our online form. We also represent clients in Kingman, Yuma, Prescott, Florence, and Holbrook.