The doctrine of sovereign immunity protects the federal government from certain types of lawsuits by citizens. Under this doctrine, the federal government cannot be held accountable for criminal or civil legal wrongs. However, what happens when the federal government is responsible for harm suffered by a citizen? This is where the Federal...
Breach of Contract Litigation
Breach of contract litigation is a frequent occurrence for businesses large and small. Contracts are the foundation of the business world. Without contracts, it would be practically impossible to reliably conduct business. When one party to a contract fails to fulfill its contractual obligations, this is called a breach of contract. When...
Paycheck Protection Program Fraud
Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) fraud is one of most active—if not the most active—area of Department of Justice scrutiny right now. This article will discuss some recent cases and “red flag” issues the government focuses on.
Recent DOJ Enforcement of SBA Fraud
Throughout 2021, the DOJ...
Conservation Tax Easements: Department of Justice Crackdown
Syndicated conservation easements (“SCE”) are a new area of Department of Justice scrutiny. Prosecutors are significantly ramping up enforcement efforts. This post will explore brief background of these alleged “schemes” and recent DOJ activity.
Conservation Tax Easements
Syndicated conservation easement donations, as they are often called...
Corporate Fraud: Common Schemes
Corporate fraud is a type of white-collar crime that involves illegal actions committed either by employees or contractors of a company. In this article, we examine the most common types of corporate fraud.
Theft of Intellectual PropertyA company's most valuable asset is oftentimes its...
Ponzi Schemes vs. Pyramid Schemes: What’s the Difference?
Ponzi schemes and pyramid schemes are types of white-collar crime. Although people sometimes confuse them, they each use different tactics to fraudulently separate people from their money. In this article, we discuss the differences between Ponzi schemes and pyramid schemes.
What is a Ponzi Scheme?
Catastrophic Injuries
A catastrophic injury is an injury that permanently prevents an individual from working and enjoying life the way he or she did prior to the injury. Often, catastrophic injuries involve permanent disabilities or long-term effects. Common catastrophic injuries include brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, and paralysis. If you’ve suffered a...
False Claims Act Basics
Each year, the United States government loses hundreds of billions of dollars due to fraud. The False Claims Act ("FCA") was enacted to reclaim some of these funds. The FCA allows private individuals to sue for certain violations on behalf of the government. The government frequently takes lead on these cases and...
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
Federal law defines “catastrophic injury” as an injury with direct and proximate consequences that permanently prevent an individual from performing any gainful work. In other words, a catastrophic injury is so serious that it leaves the victim with permanent damage. These types of injuries, which often involve damage to the brain or...
White Collar Crime Myths
White collar crime myths create common misunderstandings for those accused of violating the law. Television and movies often portray white-collar criminals as serving “easy time” in minimum-security prisons. Although this may be semi-accurate in some cases, white-collar criminals also sometimes receive lengthy prison sentences. Therefore, when it comes to white-collar...