Even a Little White Lie Can Get You Into Trouble
We all know we shouldn’t lie. We are taught that by our parents, at school, in Church and by those who enforce the law. Few of us never, ever lie, but a lot of the time we tend to excuse our lying, thinking that there is a justification for it, or that it is only a little “white” lie which doesn’t really matter. Sometimes, people lie because they are afraid of hurting the person they are lying to, but most of the time people lie because they benefit from doing so.
Lies can actually get you into real trouble – even little lies that you never thought were that serious. Telling lies can get you dismissed from your job and put in jail. You can be fined for telling lies and if you are convicted of a crime based on telling lies, then the criminal conviction can affect the rest of your life and that of your family, too.
There is no actual crime in Florida that is labeled ‘telling lies.’ When people are arrested or charged for telling lies they are generally charged with fraud. There are a large number of statutes that define different forms of fraud, but basically they all involve some deliberate attempt to for personal gain. Some forms of fraud are more serious than others. Crimes of fraud in Florida are classified in a hierarchy, ranging from minor crimes, misdemeanors in the third degree right through to Felonies. Most fraud is commonly regarded as “white collar” crime, even though that is not a legal term used by the state. The term “white collar crime” tends to give a false impression that it is nonviolent and not as bad as other crimes, like robbery or assault.
Examples of fraud in Florida
The list of potential fraud statutes is huge. Some of these are given below:
• Using a false social security number; • Stating that you don’t have a criminal record on an application form; • Using the wrong age in an application; • Using the wrong ID; • Giving wrong information about income on a tax return; • Lying to an insurance company.
You can see straight away why a criminal conviction can make it difficult to apply for some things that are important – jobs, credit, insurance, firearm purchase without lying. If you do lie and get found out, you could be convicted for fraud and end up with another criminal conviction to add to the last one. The Miami Herald covered a story based on a real life example of how lying got a well known rapper into further trouble. Kodack Black tried to purchase some firearms at a Hialeah store earlier this year. Because he was still out on bond facing a sexual assault charge he lied about not having a criminal record on the firearm background check. He also transposed four of his social security numbers so he wouldn’t turn upon the computer check, but made the mistake of giving his real number when he went back for one more gun. He was charged with a federal fraud charge in May and pleaded guilty in August in a federal court appearance in Miami. He faces 10 years in a federal prison. It was only a little white lie……..
Lying can get you into trouble, but there are many reasons why you may not have intentionally set out to defraud someone, or you didn’t realize that what you may have done could have been so serious. You may also be charged for a fraud crime that you definitely didn’t do. You don’t want to spend 10 years in federal prison or any time incarcerated at all. It’s no fun. If you do think that you may be charged with fraud, or have been arrested for fraud, whatever the circumstances, you will need a determined and aggressive defense. Contact Miami based criminal defense attorney Albert Quirantes Esq. right away at 305-644-1800.
Albert Quirantes: Your Miami Criminal Defense Lawyer & DUI Lawyer
For over 30 years, Miami criminal defense attorney Albert M. Quirantes has been aggressively and zealously defending the rights of those accused of felony and misdemeanor crimesthroughout South Florida. With his dedicated team, reasonable legal fees, and a well-earned reputation for challenging prosecutors at every turn, he has protected over 8,000 clients during some of the roughest times of their lives.
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If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, please call us today at (305) 644-1800 or fill out our online form to arrange for your free, confidential initial consultation.
If you have any questions about this or any other criminal accusation, call Miami Criminal Defense Lawyer Albert Quirantes at: (305) 644-1800 or visit our homepage www.CriminalDefendant.com for a direct link to the office or a text message or a map and directions to our office.
