Federal Criminal Conspiracy Lawyers – Defense
Federal Government Contracts Conspiracy Lawyers Representing Defense Contractors and Individuals Nationwide Charge With Defrauding the Government
Do Not Chance Federal Criminal Conspiracy Charges On Your Own – We Help You to Avoid the Most Costly Mistakes Made By Government Contractors
Federal conspiracy charges are tools used by federal prosecutors to investigate, indict, and ultimately convict federal contractors, their employees or other subcontractors of False Claims Act charges and other crimes against the United States. It is a very dangerous weapon and you must be very careful not to indulge and communicate with federal investigators or agents without your government contract conspiracy lawyer on board.
Although you may have done nothing wrong, charges of defrauding the government are very serious allegations and must be treated as such. Being indicted or convicted of a federal criminal conspiracy charge can change lives for the worse if not adequately represented by a government contractor conspiracy defense attorney.
Federal contractor defense attorney, Theodore Watson, heads the law firm and is highly respected by both the firm’s government contracting clients and federal defense lawyers.
As leader of the federal contractor defense group at Watson & Associates, LLC, he makes sure that a specialized legal defense team is in place that can aggressively represent prime and subcontractors, or individuals who need federal conspiracy charges defense.
If you are facing a government investigation, indicted, or on the way to trial in a government contracting conspiracy case, do not hesitate. Call our law firm immediately at 1.866.601.5518. or contact us online.
What are the Elements of Federal Conspiracy Charges?
A conspiracy is a kind of criminal partnership — an agreement of two or more persons to commit one or more crimes. The crime of conspiracy is the agreement to do something unlawful; it does not matter whether the crime agreed upon was committed. For a conspiracy to have existed, it is not necessary that the conspirators made a formal agreement or that they agreed on every detail of the conspiracy.
Elements of a conspiracy include:
- One becomes a member of a conspiracy by willfully participating in the unlawful plan with the intent to advance or further some object or purpose of the conspiracy, even though the person does not have full knowledge of all the details of the conspiracy and attempts to defraud the government. One who willfully joins an existing conspiracy is as responsible for it as the originators.
- On the other hand, if you do not know about a conspiracy, but happen to act in a way that furthers some object or purpose of the conspiracy, does not automatically become a conspirator.
- You do not become a conspirator merely by associating with one or more persons who are conspirators, nor merely by knowing that a conspiracy exists.
- An overt act does not itself have to be unlawful. A lawful act may be an element of a conspiracy if it was done to carry out the crime.
- The government is not required to prove that you did one of the overt acts.
- Other examples of a government contractor conspiracy to submit a false application for invoices or to be admitted into a federal program or conspiracy to commit any other crime such as healthcare fraud
It is also important for you to know that conspiracy to commit fraud can differentiate from a standalone fraud charge as you do not actually have to commit fraud to be charged as a conspirator to fraud in a government contract fraud case.
To be charged with criminal conspiracy to commit fraud, you only have to agree with one of the aspects of the larger fraud that took place.
What Types of Criminal Conspiracy Charges Can Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Help You With?
Conspiracy charges against federal contractors are often connected with other types of crimes in federal procurement which Watson & Associates, may also be able to defend you from, including:
- 8(a), SDVOSB and HUBZone Program Fraud
- Conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States
- Trade Agreements Act compliance violations
- Buy American Act fraud
- SBA Program Fraud
- Government contractor White-collar crimes – false certifications, fraudulent invoices, bid rigging, and more.
Government contractor conspiracy lawyers are bound by the attorney-client relationship.
You can tell us the truth about your case because it helps us to better prepare for the prosecutor’s angle and approach.
What is the Punishment for Contractor Criminal Conspiracy?
Many government contract fraud cases in federal court are charged as conspiracies against other defendants and the owner of the business. The OIG and DOJ often use the conspiracy charge statute to charge individuals or other government contractors who are only minimally involved in the larger case.
At Watson & Associates, LLC our government contractor conspiracy attorneys under the terror and fear that you are experiencing. However, the reality is that you have to develop a solid legal defense NOW. You cannot afford to let your case go further down the road without legal representation.
For the Government to find you guilty of criminal conspiracy, it must prove each of the following elements of conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt:
- There was an agreement between two or more persons to commit at least one crime.
- The defendant became a member of the conspiracy knowing of at least one of its objects and intending to help accomplish it.
- One of the members of the conspiracy performed at least one overt act to carry out the crime.
If you are found guilty, and although you may not have received a benefit, you can also be held jointly and severally liable for the loss to the government (the cost of the contracts or payouts) and be required to pay restitution if you are convicted.
Conspiracy Penalties generally include:
- Up to 5 Years in Prison
- Up to $250k in Fines
Are You Liable for the False Claim to the US Government?
When it comes to government contractor fraud cases, conspiracy charges have a twist to them. Anyone who causes the submission of a false claim to the government, whether they personally presented the false claim to the government or not, would still be liable for that false claim.
Under 31 U.S.C Section 3729 (a)(1)(C) of the False Claims Act federal attorneys can bring conspiracy charges. Anyone who conspires to violate any of the other provisions of the False Claims Act can be held liable under the Act.
Even subcontractors cannot avoid liability when they submit a false claim to the prime contractor.
If the prosecutor threatens to bring criminal charges for conspiracy to make a false statement, you want to have your federal conspiracy lawyer ready to go.
- Do not make the mistake of confessing because of statements and promises from investigators or federal agents who say that you can walk away if you only confess.
- Do not make any proffer statement or cooperate without having one of our government contractor conspiracy attorneys on board.
Prime Contractors Are Not Required to Know that the Submitted Claims Were False
Under current criminal conspiracy laws under the False Claims Act, the law does not require that the prime contractor know that the claim is false. Instead, the government attorneys only have to show that somebody who caused the submission knows that it is false and that person, the one who knowingly caused such a submission is liable.
As a defendant in a False Claims Act charge, it is critical that you have a conspiracy charge lawyer on board who is also experienced in federal government contract law.
Find a Federal Conspiracy Attorney – Start Your Attorney-Client Relationship and Aggressively Protect Your Rights Today
If you’ve been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States as a government contractor or individual, call our contractor conspiracy charge defense lawyers to vigorously defend your case.
To schedule your consultation and discuss your case in more detail, please contact the Law Office of Watson & Associates, LLC today at 1.866.601.5518 or contact us online.