Houston Fraud Lawyer
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Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney Fighting Fraud Charges in Houston, Texas
Fraud accusations can damage your reputation, threaten your freedom, and place your future at risk. If you are accused of fraud crimes in Houston TX, you need a Houston fraud lawyer who understands how these cases are built and how to challenge the prosecution’s case from the start. B. Keith Jackson, Attorney and Counselor at Law PLLC, provides experienced legal representation for clients facing state and federal fraud charges, including bank fraud, insurance fraud, mortgage fraud, wire fraud, Medicare fraud, and other white collar crimes. His law firm focuses on protecting your rights, defending against criminal prosecution, and building a strong defense designed to create reasonable doubt in complex fraud cases.
With extensive knowledge of Texas fraud laws and federal statutes, Attorney Jackson serves clients accused of fraud crimes involving false statements, misrepresentation, and financial loss. As a criminal defense attorney with years of courtroom experience, he understands the circumstances surrounding business transactions, electronic communication, and internal investigations that federal government agencies often rely on when pursuing criminal charges. Whether you are under investigation or already facing a fraud accusation, our firm will examine every detail of your legal issue and provide the aggressive legal representation you need.
If you are accused of a fraud offense, contact B. Keith Jackson at (281) 545-5020 or use the online contact form to discuss your case with a defense attorney who knows how to defend your future.
Understanding Fraud Charges in Texas
Under Texas Penal Code Section 32.51, fraud occurs when a person makes a false statement or misrepresentation with the intent to deceive another person and obtain money, property, or other benefits unlawfully. Criminal intent is a crucial element prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt, showing that the accused deliberately sought to commit fraud rather than making an honest mistake. Unlike violent crimes, fraud charges fall under the category of white collar crimes and often involve complex financial transactions, electronic communication, and internal investigations that require a skilled Houston fraud lawyer to navigate effectively.
Common Elements of Fraud Cases
Fraud cases typically involve the provision of false information to individuals, businesses, or government agencies to secure an unlawful advantage. The prosecution must demonstrate that the defendant made a deliberate false statement or concealed material facts rather than engaging in legitimate business practices. A fraud defense attorney will examine the circumstances surrounding each communication to determine whether a genuine misrepresentation occurred or if the alleged victim simply experienced a business dispute or misunderstanding.
Proving criminal intent is essential in fraud cases, as prosecutors must show that the accused acted with the specific purpose of deceiving and obtaining money, property, or services through fraudulent means. Without evidence of intentional deception, charges may not meet the legal threshold for criminal prosecution. An experienced Houston fraud lawyer will challenge the prosecution’s case by demonstrating that any errors were unintentional mistakes rather than deliberate attempts to commit fraud.
Types of Fraud Cases Our Law Firm Handles
Houston theft lawyer B. Keith Jackson represents clients facing a wide range of fraud charges, from state-level offenses to complex fraud cases prosecuted by the federal government. Our firm has extensive knowledge in handling both civil and criminal fraud matters, including cases involving false claims, financial misrepresentation, and identity theft. Whether you’re under investigation or already facing criminal charges, our criminal defense team will protect your rights and build a strong defense tailored to your specific legal issue.
Bank Fraud
Bank fraud involves schemes to defraud financial institutions by providing false information, forging documents, or misrepresenting facts to obtain money or credit illegally. Federal prosecutors and investigators from agencies like the FBI build their cases using financial records, electronic communication such as e-mails, and witness testimony to prove that defendants intended to deceive banks. Houston fraud lawyers like Attorney Jackson can challenge the prosecution’s case by questioning the reliability of financial evidence, demonstrating a lack of criminal intent, or showing that the circumstances surrounding the transaction were misunderstood.
Credit Card and Check Fraud
Credit card and check fraud occurs when a person illegally uses another individual’s financial information to make unauthorized purchases or withdrawals, often through stolen cards or forged checks. Under Texas Penal Code Sections 32.31 and 32.21, penalties for these fraud crimes can range from state jail felonies to first-degree felonies, depending on the dollar amount involved and prior criminal record. A fraud defense attorney will defend clients by examining whether the accused had authorization to use the account, whether identity was mistaken, or whether procedural violations occurred during the investigation.
Insurance Fraud
Insurance fraud involves submitting false claims to insurance companies to obtain benefits or compensation to which the claimant is not entitled. Common examples include staging accidents to file injury claims, inflating property losses after fires or storms, and misrepresenting facts on insurance applications to obtain lower premiums. A skilled fraud attorney can challenge the prosecution’s case by investigating the circumstances surrounding the claim, exposing inconsistencies in the insurer’s investigation, and demonstrating that any discrepancies were honest mistakes rather than intentional attempts to commit fraud.
Securities and Investment Fraud
Securities and investment fraud encompasses misrepresentation in financial offerings, Ponzi schemes, insider trading, and other deceptive practices that violate federal securities laws and harm investors. Handling complex fraud cases involving the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or Department of Justice requires a criminal defense attorney with extensive knowledge of both civil and criminal regulatory frameworks. These cases often carry severe criminal penalties, including substantial fines measured in thousands or millions of dollars and lengthy federal prison sentences, making it crucial to mount a strong defense from the earliest stages of investigation.
Identity Theft and Online Fraud
Identity theft and online fraud involve cyber-related schemes such as phishing attacks, data theft, email scams, and unauthorized access to personal information to obtain money or services fraudulently. Prosecutors rely heavily on digital evidence, including IP addresses, electronic communication records, and forensic computer analysis, to build their cases against accused individuals. A fraud defense attorney will scrutinize how digital evidence was collected and preserved, challenge the reliability of electronic records, and examine whether law enforcement violated civil rights during the investigation.
Criminal Penalties for Fraud Offenses
The severity of criminal penalties for fraud charges depends on multiple factors, including the dollar amount involved, the presence of criminal intent, the number of victims affected, and whether the offense violated state or federal law. Courts consider whether the defendant has a prior criminal record, the level of planning involved in the fraud scheme, and any aggravating circumstances surrounding the crime. Possible consequences range from monetary fines and restitution payments to victims to years of imprisonment and a permanent criminal record that can impact every aspect of your future.
Texas Penalties for Fraud Charges
Texas classifies fraud offenses based on the value of the property or money obtained, with charges ranging from Class C misdemeanors for amounts under $100 to first-degree felonies for amounts of $300,000 or more. Sentence enhancements apply when defendants have prior fraud convictions or when the fraud targeted elderly victims or government programs. A conviction can result in jail time, substantial fines, mandatory restitution to victims, and a criminal record that follows you for life.
Federal Penalties in Complex Fraud Cases
Federal sentencing guidelines impose severe criminal penalties for fraud offenses prosecuted by agencies such as the FBI, DOJ, SEC, and IRS, often resulting in lengthy prison sentences and fines reaching millions of dollars. Complex fraud cases involving bank fraud, wire fraud, securities violations, or schemes affecting interstate commerce fall under federal jurisdiction, where prosecutors have extensive resources to pursue convictions. The federal government treats white-collar crimes seriously, and defendants face not only criminal prosecution but also potential civil penalties and the forfeiture of assets obtained through fraudulent activity.
Collateral Consequences of a Fraud Conviction
Beyond the immediate criminal penalties of fines and incarceration, a fraud conviction carries collateral consequences that can devastate your personal and professional life for decades. A permanent criminal record for fraud crimes can disqualify you from professional licenses, prevent employment in financial services, education, healthcare, and other fields requiring trust and integrity. For non-citizens, a fraud conviction may trigger deportation proceedings or denial of immigration benefits, while housing applications, educational opportunities, and loan approvals become significantly more difficult when convicted of dishonest offenses.
How a Houston Criminal Defense Attorney Can Protect Your Rights
Early legal representation from a Houston criminal defense attorney is essential when you face fraud allegations, because experienced counsel can intervene during the investigation before criminal charges are filed and protect you from making damaging statements to law enforcement. Acting early allows your fraud defense attorney to preserve evidence, respond to investigators properly, and prevent the prosecution from shaping the narrative before the defense has a chance to present the full set of facts.
Attorney Jackson conducts thorough investigations to challenge the prosecution’s case, reviewing financial records, interviewing witnesses, analyzing electronic communication, and consulting forensic experts to identify weaknesses in the government’s theory. This process helps reveal whether a false statement or misrepresentation occurred, or whether the incident stemmed from routine business practices taken out of context.
Our defense strategy focuses on disproving criminal intent by demonstrating that transactions were legitimate business dealings, that any false statements were unintentional mistakes, or that evidence was obtained through violations of your constitutional rights. For example, in a mortgage fraud investigation, bank documents may appear misleading until a detailed audit shows clerical errors rather than a deliberate attempt to commit fraud. This type of evidence can significantly weaken the prosecution’s case and build reasonable doubt.
With a clear understanding of financial processes and the circumstances surrounding complex fraud cases, Attorney Jackson works to ensure that your rights are protected at every stage of the investigation and criminal prosecution.
Common Defense Strategies in Fraud Cases
Fraud cases require a focused defense strategy, and several key approaches can help challenge the prosecution’s case and protect your rights throughout the investigation and criminal prosecution.
- Demonstrating that the accused had no deliberate purpose to deceive or commit fraud.
- Showing that actions were based on good-faith business judgment rather than a fraudulent scheme.
- Arguing that the prosecution cannot prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is required in all fraud cases.
- Exposing gaps or inconsistencies in financial records, emails, contracts, and other key documents.
- Demonstrating that multiple people had access to the accounts, devices, records, or business systems involved.
- Showing that the accused was not the person who made the false statement, misrepresentation, or unauthorized transaction.
- Challenging searches conducted without proper warrants.
- Identifying coerced statements or interviews conducted without honoring civil rights protections.
- Arguing that evidence should be suppressed if law enforcement violated constitutional rights during the investigation.
- Reviewing how investigators collected financial data, electronic communication, and internal business records.
- Identifying issues such as improper subpoenas, chain-of-custody problems, or unlawful access to digital information.
These defense strategies help weaken the prosecution’s case, create reasonable doubt, and position your fraud defense attorney to negotiate favorable outcomes or pursue a dismissal when possible.
Facing Criminal Charges for Fraud? Call Houston Fraud Attorney B. Keith Jackson Today
Keith Jackson, Attorney and Counselor at Law PLLC, has a proven record of successfully defending clients in complex fraud cases throughout Houston, Harris County, and federal courts across Texas. With extensive knowledge of local court procedures and relationships with federal prosecutors, our law firm provides the aggressive legal counsel necessary to protect your rights and defend against fraud charges.
Don’t let fraud allegations destroy your future. Contact our law offices today at (281) 545-5020 or use our online contact form to schedule a confidential consultation and begin building your strong defense.
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