White collar crime often occurs in the form of financial fraud. There are many different forms of alleged financial fraud, and with the accessibility provided by the internet, there is the possibility for individuals in Louisiana to obtain more information about white collar crimes today than ever before.
One common fraud scheme is known as redemption. Under this scheme, those involved will use fake financial documents to perpetrate the fraud. These documents, which may appear to be legitimate, may be called offset bonds, indemnity bonds, promissory bonds, bills of exchange, sight drafts or comptrollers warrants.
The basic fraudulent premise is that through submission of paperwork to state or federal authorities, a person can obtain access to bank accounts, often known as U.S. Treasury Direct Accounts, which are alleged to be controlled by the U.S. government or Treasury Department. This fraud scheme is also known as bond fraud or strawman.
Those instigating the crime may sell kits to others with the claim that the kits will allow the purchasers to access secret bank accounts. They may indicate that the U.S. government or Treasury Department controls bank accounts for all citizens. Another common strategy in this scheme is perpetrators telling others that noting “acceptance for value” on bills, speeding tickets or tax notifications will resolve these matters.
There is a lot of information on the Internet and it may be possible for someone, whether an alleged perpetrator or a victim, to be drawn into a redemption or bond fraud scheme unknowingly. If you are being investigated or have been charged with a crime for involvement in this particular scheme or any other white collar crime charges, it may be wise to seek prompt legal counsel to discuss your rights and options.
Source: fbi.gov, “Common Fraud Schemes: Redemption/Strawman/Bond Fraud,” accessed Nov. 6, 2015