Avocat En Fraude Et Crimes Économiques à Montréal
Qu’est-ce Que La Fraude ?
Fraud (section 380(1) of the criminal code) is a financial crime that involves the intentional deprivation of a person’s (or organization’s) finances through deceit, falsehood or fraudulent means. Given its expansive description, it’s often a catch-all for white collar crime like tax evasion and embezzlement.
Les Autres Types De Crimes Économiques
There are all sorts of other financial crimes that the Criminal Code explicitly prohibits, like forgery (s. 366(1)), stock market manipulation (s. 382), insider trading (s. 382.1)), and identity theft (402.2(1)). Additionally, the crime of fraud is divided into two distinct categories: Fraud over $5,000 (s. 380(1)(a)) and Fraud under $5,000 (s. 380(1)(b)).
Les Conséquences D’une Condamnation Pour Fraude
In cases of fraud over $5,000 (especially complex and drawn-out financial schemes), incarceration is the norm, since prosecutors look to send a message not only to the offender but to society writ large. Moreover, in the case of million dollar frauds, there is a 2 year mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment. When it comes to fraud under $5,000, while imprisonment is a possibility, more lenient sentences (like house arrest or probation) are far from uncommon.
Les Défenses Possibles Contre Une Accusation Pour Fraude
Fraud is a specific intent offence, meaning that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you intended to deprive the victim of their finances. In other words, poor business decisions or miscommunications are not fraud. Therefore, a defence to fraud is that you never intended for such a deprivation to occur. Another possible defence is that you did not deprive them of their money through deceit or falsehood (in other words, the alleged victim knew what they were getting into and chose to take a risk despite your honest representations about the possible outcomes).
Accusation Pour Fraude : Prochaines Étapes ?
- If you’ve been charged with fraud, it’s absolutely vital that you exercise your right to counsel immediately. You should further invoke your right to remain silent and refuse to answer any questions. It is highly likely that the state will have forensic accounting reports and/or thorough knowledge of your financial transactions so it's absolutely vital that you have copies of all pertinent documents, transactions, and receipts, and can provide explanations for each.
★ Si vous faites l’objet d’une enquête policière en lien avec une fraude, si vous faites face à des accusations de fraude, ou encore si vous avez des questions en lien avec vos droits, vous pouvez nous contacter dès maintenant pour parler avec un avocat ou fixer une consultation.