White Collar Criminal Defense

Federal, state and local prosecutors and regulators, armed with new laws and increased penalties, are placing more and more individuals and business entities under great scrutiny in virtually every industry. In the last few years, numerous investigations and prosecutions have emerged in the financial, insurance, health care, securities and banking areas. Early representation by competent counsel in this highly specialized area is critical.

White Collar Criminal Defense

Abrams Fensterman's White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group is retained by clients to provide a wide variety of services. The attorneys in our Practice Group have vigorously and successfully defended many individuals and business entities against federal, state and local governmental investigations and prosecutions, and conducted numerous internal investigations, in many areas including:

• Health Care Fraud, including Medicaid and Medicare Fraud
• Securities and Investment Fraud
• Mortgage and Banking Fraud
• Insurance Fraud, including No-Fault and Workers Compensation Fraud
• Tax Offenses
• Public Corruption and Official Misconduct
• Financial Crimes and Money Laundering
• Theft, Embezzlement and other Property Crimes
• Forfeiture (civil and criminal)
• Consumer Fraud
• Computer and Intellectual Property Crime
• DWI

The lawyers in Abrams Fensterman's White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group have the skills and specialized experience necessary to defend a client properly and effectively when faced with a criminal or regulatory investigation or prosecution by a United States Attorney's Office, the New York State Attorney General's Office, including its Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, a District Attorney's Office, the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspector, the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency. Our lawyers are widely respected by judges and adversaries, and are highly experienced to represent a client from the first subpoena or contact from law enforcement, through the investigatory and grand jury phases, to trial, administrative proceeding or culmination of the case. Prior to going into private practice, lawyers in our practice group have served in management and leadership positions in government, thus bringing an insider's perspective to our client's representation.

In the Health Care area, our lawyers work with our Health Care Practice Group attorneys to represent and defend, among others, physicians, nurses, health care providers, health care management companies, hospitals, nursing homes and medical device companies in a wide variety of health care-related matters, including investigations and prosecutions for Medicaid and Medicare fraud, No-Fault insurance fraud, unauthorized practice of a profession, violations of anti-kickback statutes and violations of the False Claims Act.

Investigations

In this current environment, business entities must be proactive to ensure that they are complying with applicable laws, rules and regulations. We are often hired to advise clients and create corporate compliance programs and internal controls to reduce the risk of regulatory investigations or criminal charges. When a business entity uncovers a potential problem, or learns that a governmental agency is investigating certain practices across an industry, a quick and complete internal investigation is needed to eliminate or reduce governmental involvement and the company's potential exposure. Attorneys in Abrams Fensterman's White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group have the experience to conduct sensitive internal investigations of potential wrongdoing for corporations, board audit committees and general counsels. We conduct our investigations thoroughly, but discreetly, to gather and analyze all relevant information on allegations of fraud, accounting irregularities, breaches of fiduciary duty, bribes and money laundering. Our attorneys make independent assessments and recommendations to our clients, and work effectively to contain and resolve any issue uncovered. The credibility and integrity of the attorneys in our Practice Group enable us to effectively assist our clients in dealing with the government.

Monitorships

Federal and state prosecutors and regulators have increased their use of independent monitors to oversee a company's compliance with the terms of a plea agreement, settlement agreement, deferred-prosecution agreement or non-prosecution agreement. Attorneys in our Practice Group have been appointed to oversee and supervise a company's compliance with such an agreement.

Further Information

To learn more about Abrams Fensterman's White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group, please contact the Practice Group Director, Alfredo F. Mendez, at 212-279-9200 extension 324. His e-mail address is amendez@abramslaw.com