Investment Fraud Lawyer Serving Clients in Orange County, CA

Investors only want to believe that they will succeed and make fast returns on their investments. Anything less and they may consider investing their money elsewhere. So, it makes some sense that individuals and institutions promise more than they may be able to conceivably deliver in their attempt to land new investors. However, such misrepresentations can result in charges for investment fraud.

Sentencing for investment fraud cases largely depends on how much was lost by the supposed victims. Convictions can result in fines, imprisonment, parole, or some combination of punishments. The fines can end up somewhere in the millions of dollars.

To protect your best interests and hopefully avoid harsh sentencing, it is advisable to speak with a white-collar crimes lawyer familiar with local laws. Orange County federal defense attorney Diane C. Bass has handled some of the most serious, high-profile investment fraud cases in Southern California and would be proud to represent your case in and out of court. Defense lawyer Diane C. Bass has an outstanding reputation in the eyes of her past clients as well as with her peers in the legal community.

What is Investment Fraud?

Investment fraud, also commonly known as securities fraud or stock fraud, is a broad term used to describe the criminal actions of those who knowingly mislead investors while they are in the process of making their investment decisions. The offender of investment fraud can be an individual stockbroker or banker, but they could also be a corporation, such as a brokerage firm or investment bank.

The US Department of Justice aggressively investigates and prosecutes securities fraud cases involving ‘high-yield investment programs’ and pyramid schemes. The crime often involves misleading information, withholding information vital to an investor’s decision-making, providing counsel in bad faith, and some kind of insider trading that benefits them at the expense of the investor.

If you have been accused or charged with crimes such as investment fraud, it is important that you speak with a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible in order to have a better hope of building a winning defense. Criminal defense lawyer Diane C. Bass has extensive experience providing a strong, knowledgeable defense to those accused of investment fraud. If you or your business are facing legal issues stemming from investment fraud or securities fraud, please contact the Law Office of Diane C. Bass to schedule an appointment for your case evaluation.

What Are Common Types of Investment Fraud?

There are many types of fraud that are legally prosecuted both federally and in the state of California. Common types of investment, stock, or securities fraud cases include:

• Advance fee schemes. Examples of these schemes include the act in which a supposed victim pays ahead of time for a promised return on their investment, but they do not receive what was promised.
• Affinity fraud. This fraud targets groups of people based on ethnicity, religion, language, or age.
• Broker embezzlement and misconduct. Most brokers you encounter are ethical. However, some will break those ethical norms in order to pursue their own interests at the expense of their clients.
• Excessive trading of assets to manufacture commission numbers.
• Failure to disclose risks, a promise of unrealistic or unattainable returns, and material misrepresentation or omission. Essential, truthful information must be communicated with investors.
• Foreign currency fraud. The Forex market is not immune to fraudsters.
• Hedge-fund fraud. Misconduct committed by or for the financial interests of a hedge fund.
• High-yield investment programs. An HYIP is a scheme that promises huge, unattainable rewards for investments.
• Late-day trading. Illegal after-hours trades.
• Ponzi schemes and pyramid schemes. Illegally paying existing investors with money taken from new investors, instead of from actual gains made from investments.
• Pump and dump schemes. Artificially inflating stock worth with the purpose of selling.

The state of California has some of the most investor-friendly laws in the country. If you have been accused of violating any laws or norms, it is of the utmost importance that you speak with an attorney to defend your case.

How Could a Lawyer Help Your Defense?

When fraud cases are brought to trial, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant fully intended to misrepresent themselves and defraud their victim. If you did not knowingly mislead your supposed victim and thought you were providing them with a potentially lucrative investment, then there was no fraud committed. Sometimes, right or wrong, bad luck is chalked up to criminal activity. But if there was no criminal intent, then there can be no fraud.

Establishing the lack of criminal intent on your own can be an overwhelming legal challenge. It is highly recommended that you seek a defense attorney to defend your rights in and out of a courtroom. Criminal defense lawyer Diane C. Bass has experience representing clients, and would like to offer you a 1-hour initial case evaluation.

Schedule Your Consultation with Defense Attorney Diane C. Bass

If you or your corporation have been accused of investment fraud, it is important that you begin to craft your criminal defense without delay. The consequences of a conviction can be very costly, resulting in thousands if not millions of dollars worth of fines and the potential for prison time. To best avoid this, please speak with a criminal defense attorney today. Whatever the particulars of your case, you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Criminal defense attorney Diane C. Bass has served clients, for years now in all manner of white-collar crimes. If you would like to speak with the attorney about your case, you may call her office to schedule your initial consultation at 949-577-8368.