Investment fraud, securities fraud, or stock fraud is when investors purchase or sell their investments based on erroneous, false, or deceptive information provided by their stock or investment brokers. This practice often results in losses to the investor and it is in violation of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) laws. The SEC has made it a point to go after and prosecute anyone or any entity involved in what they consider unscrupulous trade practices in the stock and commodity markets. Anyone charged with securities fraud will face intense scrutiny of their financial records and rigorous investigations by the SEC and the President's Corporate Crime Task Force of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). An experienced securities criminal defense attorney can review the information and mount a strategic defense based on his/her personal investigation of the facts.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has also improved the legal options available to charge and prosecute those individuals suspected of investment fraud. Investigators, regulators, and prosecutors can use these aggressively enhanced sections of the federal criminal code to indict anyone or any entity that has allegedly engaged in securities fraud and prosecutors can seek up to 25 years in prison per charge. A capable securities criminal defense attorney understands these new set of laws and can use the regulations to the advantage of his/her client's defense.
Charges of investment fraud can include:
Investment fraud can also include investment market manipulation through false or misleading information, scams designed to unload worthless or low valued stocks through rumors or fabricated information through the internet, brokers or advisors supplying poor financial advice to clients, or company officers providing undisclosed information to select investors or stockholders.
It is very important to have a securities criminal defense attorney on your side if you have been accused of any type of investment fraud. The government has relentlessly sought the prosecution of individuals or entities accused of securities fraud after the scandals involving Enron, Tyco, and Adelphia Cable, sometimes to the detriment of the constitutional rights of the accused. An accomplished securities criminal defense attorney will make sure your rights are observed and respected.
If you have been accuse of securities fraud, stock fraud or any type of investment fraud, you will need the expert advice and guidance of an experienced securities criminal defense attorney. A securities criminal defense attorney can prove to be an invaluable resource in this trying and uncertain time.