Fraud

Online financial scams: how vulnerable are we?

March 28, 2016

There is a reasonable chance that most of us, at some point in our lives, will experience fraud, in one form or another. As technology continues to advance and we store more of our personal data on phones, tablets or digital storage platforms like the Cloud, we become increasingly vulnerable to hackers and scams. Whereas […]

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Property Management Employee Charged with Embezzlement

July 4, 2013

Mary Ellen McCabe, who was the accounts payable manager at Cranbrook Property Management, has been accused of embezzling over $180,000 in a scheme that spanned four years.  Sterling Heights police Lieutenant Luke Riley said McCabe is alleged of writing herself about 250 checks since 2009.  The checks were cashed at banks, party stores, and at […]

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Bonney Lake Woman Sentenced for Embezzling from Employer

April 28, 2013

Jeanette Kay Sturtz was sentenced last Wednesday to 30 days community service and 15 days house arrest after pleading guilty to embezzling funds from two former employers.  In total, Sturtz stole in excess of $35,000 from the homeowner’s association and landscaping company where she previously held jobs. Prosecutors contend that from September 2010 to September […]

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Oklahoma Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud

April 4, 2013

Christopher M. Bland, a local business owner in Bixby, has pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge that resulted from an investigation by the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s Anti-Fraud Unit.  Bland was indicted with 14 counts of wire fraud and 12 counts of making false statements to a financial institution earlier this year on January 11th.  […]

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Ex- Stanford Executives Convicted in $7.2 billion Ponzi Scheme

February 19, 2013

The Department of Justice has reported that two former Stanford Financial Group executives were each sentenced to 20 years in a federal prison for aiding convicted financier Robert Allen Stanford in perpetuating a massive Ponzi scheme totaling over $7.2 billion. Gilbert Lopez, the former chief officer of Stanford Financial Group, and former controller Mark Kuhrt […]

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How Whistleblowers and the False Claims Act Are Changing the Commercial and Consumer Landscape

January 4, 2013

(US law) Modifications of the False Claims Act over time have created a situation where employees no longer are required to be complicit in creative corporate accounting schemes that are meant to defraud any government agency. Unethical policies in the private sector are still problematic in many cases, but all businesses must deal with government […]

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Counterfeit Goods are Big Business: Until You Are Caught

December 4, 2012

(US law and generally) Branding is an important part of any business strategy. Building a brand requires a sophisticated marketing campaign and a dedication to quality, which takes time and money. Purveyors of counterfeit goods will often target companies that build reputations on high quality products, as high quality branded goods are often expensive, and […]

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What To Do When Your Investment Broker Leaves You Broke!

October 12, 2012

Hiring a stock broker amounts to finding someone you trust who can help your future financial security and stability. Market forces normally control losses and gains in personal portfolios, but sometimes the losses can be extensive. If the portfolio is not moving consistently with the market, then the possibility exists that the broker is misinformed, […]

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Blowing The Whistle – Implications Of The False Claims Act On A Business

September 24, 2012

(U.S. Law and Generally) Fraud has always been a serious issue in the United States. There is always someone out there who will attempt to defraud any type of governmental program in an effort to turn a profit. To combat this the False Claims Act was passed in an effort to hold those who choose […]

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Lawyer Faces Prison for $55m Stock Fraud

June 11, 2012

A former lawyer from Baker and McKenzie, Martin Weisberg, is facing a 15 year jail sentence for a role which he played in part of a $55 million stock fraud which is supposed to have taken place whilst the man was working for the now-liquidised Jenkins & Gilchrist law firm. Reuters reported that the man […]

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