It’s one thing to be indicted for fraud or other white collar crimes, but when someone is indicted in three different jurisdictions for the same conspiracy, they need an experienced white collar criminal defense attorney who has handled cases in both state and federal courts.
According to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Maricopa County Assessor Paul Pederson was indicted on charges of fraudulent schemes and conspiracy for his role in a scheme that brought women to the United States to give birth, only to have the babies adopted by his clients. As it relates to the Arizona charges, Pedersen housed the women in the weeks and months leading up to the birth of their children, and aided and abetted them to falsely claim that they were Arizona residents so they could qualify for state health care benefits.
And while the Arizona charges essentially amount to health care fraud, the state charges in Utah and the federal charges in Arkansas involve conspiracy and wire fraud, for the material misrepresentations that were sent by electronic means. If convicted in Utah, Pedersen will face an indeterminate sentence – meaning that his release date will be up to the Utah Parole Board. If convicted on federal charges in Arkansas, his sentence will largely be determined by the United States Sentencing Guidelines which, in white collar cases, is often driven by the amount of financial gain achieved by the conspiracy in addition to factors such as whether Pedersen used sophisticated means or his position as an adoption lawyer to perpetrate his crimes.
Defending white collar cases is a complex endeavor that few criminal defense attorneys are qualified to undertake. When the case involves charges in multiple jurisdictions, or in both state and federal courts, only a select handful of Arizona criminal defense attorneys have the knowledge and experience for the job.
As a Phoenix criminal defense attorney who has practiced for nearly 25 years, Jason Lamm has defended numerous white collar cases involving both the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office. The network of contacts and relationships he has built through handling cases around the country allows him to build a team of attorneys to fight for his clients.
White collar criminal matters should never be taken lightly. If you or someone close to you is a target of this type of case or investigation, now is the time to act. Confidential consultations can be scheduled by calling (602) 663-9100 so that a customized and tailored strategy can be designed to suit the needs and contours of your case.