Syracuse Criminal Law Blog

People sometimes claim that the criminal justice system does not serve anyone’s needs effectively. There is some truth to that allegation. Whatever justice the courts can hand out after a crime is often a cold comfort to those negatively affected by criminal activity. For those involved in a criminal incident, the punishments that the courts dole out rarely help them overcome what may have prompted the criminal issue in the

When someone earns money via illegal means, the income that they generate is technically illegitimate. Thus, they need to “clean” that money before spending it, or it may be traced back to their wrongdoing. This is where money laundering comes in. Money laundering is the process of taking unlawful funds and giving those funds the appearance of being legitimate. The following are two common examples of money laundering. Laundering through

Medicare and Medicaid are vital programs that provide millions of Americans with healthcare access. Proper billing practices are crucial to help ensure their sustainability. However, even seemingly harmless mistakes can raise red flags and trigger healthcare fraud charges. This can result in serious consequences, including hefty fines, program exclusion and even jail time. Medicare and Medicaid reimburse healthcare providers based on specific codes that reflect the services rendered. Upcoding (billing

Some people carry a weapon for a sense of personal security. Other people may have tools in their possession for work or daily life that may seem like a potential weapon to law enforcement officials. Anyone accused of a crime while in possession of a weapon could face more serious charges and enhanced penalties. Police officers taking someone into state custody typically conduct a thorough search of that person beforehand

A lot of premeditated crimes of all kinds, but largely white-collar crimes, involve multiple people. Often, these people have very different levels of culpability in the criminal activity. They may not all even know or interact with one another. One or more may be the “ringleaders,” while others may have had little if any idea that what they were doing was against the law. Nonetheless, prosecutors often lump everyone into