Sacramento Federal Criminal Defense Law Blog

QVC executive guilty of wire fraud after 5-year spending spree

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in Embezzlement on Thursday, July 12, 2018.

The spending habits of consumers in California who buy merchandise from QVC likely cannot compare to the spending spree that recently sent one of the television network's executives to federal prison. The 42-year-old man entered a guilty plea on 11 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. On top of a 30-month prison sentence, which was issued July 10, a judge ordered him to restore $832,138.55 to his former employer.

From 2008 until his dismissal in 2013, the former QVC executive used his position as a director at the network to fraudulently maintain a lavish lifestyle, according to federal prosecutors. He created false invoices to obtain payments from his employer. Two other parties -- a public relations firm and a production management company -- supported his fraud by generating fake invoices.

Pine Cove clerk accused of embezzlement

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in Embezzlement on Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

A clerk at a retail store in Pine Cove was arrested in June for allegedly stealing over $100,000 from the business over an eight-month period. Authorities were first alerted to the theft when the proprietors noticed that a large sum of money seemed to be missing.

After examining financial records and other information located at the store, investigators determined that the clerk was the likely source of the missing funds. He was allegedly taking money from the store's till and ATM machine on a regular basis.

Mandatory minimum sentences in federal drug cases are harsh

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.

It is no secret that federal drug charges are very serious matters. You are likely going to face time in the federal prison system if you are convicted. This alone should spur you into action, which means that you need to take a serious look at what options you have for your defense.

Drug charges may come with mandatory minimum sentences on the federal level. While many cases are passed on to the state courts, there are some that are tried by federal prosecutors. Here are some things that you should know about federal drug offenses:

Woman sentenced to four years for embezzling $250,000

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in Embezzlement on Friday, June 15, 2018.

On June 5, a California woman was sentenced to four years in state prison for embezzling over $250,000 from her employer. The sentence was handed down by a Sonoma County Superior Court judge.

According to court documents, the defendant worked as a payroll clerk for the Oakmont Management Group LLC from January 2014 until May 2016. During that time, she reportedly used her position to create fake employee payroll profiles and set up fraudulent direct deposit accounts using real employee names. The money was then funneled into pre-paid debit card accounts in her name. Her employer discovered her actions when the new payroll clerk noticed suspicious accounting activity. The company reported her to authorities on Jan. 13, 2017.

Insurance broker accepts plea deal on embezzlement charges

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in Embezzlement on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.

An investigation by the California Department of Insurance and FBI has resulted in a guilty plea from a 62-year-old Fresno man who operated an insurance brokerage and benefits management company. The man acknowledged that he spent $6,089,500 in clients' funds on personal and business operating expenses.

The pool of money that he dipped into represented money held for employers to cover the high deductibles of their employees' health insurance plans. The money could only be withdrawn for specific purposes related to his clients' insurance needs. The man was the president and only shareholder of the company, which processed claims for over 3,200 businesses.

Preparing for time in a federal prison

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.

When you are facing criminal charges, there are many potential outcomes of the case. If you are convicted of a federal charge, you might be facing time in the federal prison system. You should prepare for possible time in prison if you have been convicted and are awaiting your sentencing hearing.

There are many things that you might need to prepare for if you are going to be incarcerated. You should think about these points even if there is only a small chance that you will have to go to prison.

Trial of California man results in Ponzi scheme conviction

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in Federal Crimes on Friday, May 18, 2018.

A 69-year-old man residing in Roseville received a guilty verdict from a jury after a weeklong trial in federal court in San Francisco. He had been accused of misleading Japanese investors in a classic Ponzi scheme that paid early investors with cash supplied by new investors. Damages to investors totaled $6.8 million. The jury convicted him of conspiracy to launder money, money laundering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 17 counts of wire fraud. He now awaits his sentence.

Evidence presented at trial showed that the man and his 73-year-old accomplice defrauded investors between 2012 and 2015. They told their Japanese victims that the money would be invested in a business identified as Money Management Strategies. This entity was styled as a high-speed trading business that produced returns in excess of 100 percent.

Woman pleads guilty to embezzlement

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in Embezzlement on Wednesday, May 2, 2018.

On April 23, a 51-year-old California woman pleaded guilty to the embezzlement of $114,304. She received a sentence of three years probation.

The woman embezzled the funds from the brokerage firm where she worked. According to the sheriff's office, the owner of the business discovered the missing money when a client sent him a collections notice. The woman managed client payment invoices, and she said she took the money to pay off a tax debt.

Federal cases aren't a walk in the park for anyone

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in blog on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

Some people think of federal crimes as an easier type of criminal case than a state level case because they have an idea that federal prisons are more pleasant than others. This isn't the case. All criminal cases should be treated as very serious matters.

One of the types of cases that is often heard on a federal level is for white collar crimes. These crimes include victims, but aren't violent. This makes a very unpleasant situation for the inmates who are sent into the prison system because there is a chance that they might be housed with violent inmates.

Backpage CEO pleads guilty

On behalf of Law Office of Thomas A. Johnson posted in Federal Crimes on Friday, April 20, 2018.

The CEO of the infamous website Backpage.com has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and three counts of money laundering in a California court, according to documents filed in the case. The CEO will face up to five years in prison for his crimes.

According to federal prosecutors, Backpage.com essentially operated as an online brothel. While the CEO has pleaded guilty to these charges, the company itself has entered a guilty plea to a human trafficking charge in Texas. Under the plea agreement, the Backpage CEO will cooperate with authorities as they seek charges against the founders of the website.