A federal grand jury has enormous power. Composed of 23 people, a federal grand jury usually sits for a term of 18 months and meets regularly to review evidence presented by a federal prosecutor. Ultimately, a grand jury will determine whether there…
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In the January 2021 decision of United States v. Gatto, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of three men who were found guilty of fraud for funneling secret payments from Adidas to the families of top college basketball recruit…
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The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 29, 2020, and has provided more than $2 trillion in economic relief to help Americans cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act originally authorized up to $34…
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Facing criminal charges in federal court is intimidating and scary. Any criminal case, and a federal criminal case, in particular, is complicated. It can be helpful and reassuring to understand how a criminal case works, and what to expect. If you be…
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On October 1, 2020, federal prosecutors filed criminal charges against the founders of BitMex, an offshore cryptocurrency derivatives exchange. BitMex executives are charged with violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and conspiring to violate the BSA…
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On September 30, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) closed its books on FY2020 and, on November 2, released its 2020 Annual Report. Analysts have begun reviewing SEC enforcement actions to reach conclusions about the types of financia…
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On October 8, 2020, the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Cyber-Digital Task Force released new cryptocurrency guidelines. The 83 page report, entitled “Cryptocurrency: An Enforcement Framework” identifies cryptocurrency users’ lega…
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Scott Capps, a former employee of The Vanguard Group, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion in March of 2019. He also admitted to filing false tax returns in 2013 and 2014 to cover up the scheme. By challen…
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Last week was a busy week for the Fourth Amendment in the Courts of Appeal. On the same day that the Eleventh Circuit ruled that the Fourth Amendment covers data obtained from cell towers, the Third Circuit in U.S. v. Stanley ruled that the Fourth Am…
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What Makes a Great Trial Lawyer? LawCrossing.com asked “What makes a great trial lawyer?” and Hope C. Lefeber weighed in. What are the two crucial traits to succeed in the courtroom? Lefeber says it’s passion and amazing communication skills. …
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