Fraud – Check Charges

At The Mussallem Law Firm, P.A., our Jacksonville Fraud Attorney has years of experience and has represented hundreds of clients charged with fraud crimes. Fraud and theft charges are considered “crimes of dishonesty” and will have a huge impact on your current and future employment.

When you are arrested on fraud charges in Florida, your intent is at issue. The detectives have their side, and you need someone to speak for you. The Mussallem Law Firm, P.A. thoroughly investigates the complex issues involved in your fraud case to assure that your rights are protected. The prosecutor’s office will be trying to get restitution, which is the money the alleged victim claims they lost due to the fraud.

Uttering a Forged Instrument is a third degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Uttering is when you try to pass a forged check, knowing is forged, with the intent to defraud any person. In uttering cases in Jacksonville, the assistant state attorney has to prove that you knew the document was forged and not legitimate when you tried to pass it.

Crimes involving checks, like Worthless Checks, are also crimes of intent. It is illegal for any person to write a check, use a debit card, while knowing you do not have sufficient funds in the bank to pay. If the amount of the check is under $150.00, the worthless check charge is considered a first degree misdemeanor. If the check written is $150.00 or more, the crime is a third degree felony. Third degree felonies carry a maximum of five years in prison. In most worthless check cases in Jacksonville, the main priority of the state attorney’s office is to get restitution to the victim who is out the money.

Schemes to Defraud is another fraud crime in Florida. It is when someone engages in a systematic and ongoing course of conduct with the intent to get property or money from a person or institution (bank) under false pretenses. If the amount obtained is $50,000 or more, the scheme to defraud is considered a first degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. If the value is $20,000 or more but less than $50,000, the crime is a second degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. If the amount is less than $20,000, the crime is a third degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

In addition to the fraud crimes described above, our Jacksonville Fraud Attorney also represents people charged with False Representation to a Pawn Broker, ID Fraud, Unauthorized Criminal Use of Another’s Identification, and Unlicensed Contracting.