Counterfeiting is a crime that most people are aware of. In general, when most people think about counterfeiting they immediately start to think about someone illegally trying to copy money and then pass it off as real money. While this is the most common form of counterfeiting, the crime actually refers to a much broader sense of creating a fake item or bank note and trying to pass it off as real.

Examples and Punishment
Depending on the type of counterfeiting, someone that is charged with the crime could be facing a lot of penalties in terms of fines and even imprisonment. The crime can be considered a state crime, but is often brought to the federal level. If it involved copying and creating a fake bank note or other currency, it will automatically be considered a federal crime and could also be considered a felony depending on the amount of money that is being made through the counterfeiting process.

Most of the time, chargers are brought out on people that are in possession of counterfeit items and try to pass them off as real. This is a serious form of fraud in which you are technically defrauding the recipient of the fraudulent bill and the US Government. The penalties from this can be severe and can include imprisonment in federal prison for as much as 25 years. However, the amount of time you will spend in prison will vary considerably based on the scope and size of the crime.

Another situation in which you could be charged with counterfeiting is if you simply hold machinery, materials, and other equipment that can be used for counterfeiting. You will typically be given an additional charge if it is determined that you are holding these items and have used them for counterfeiting purposes in the past.

Possible Defenses
If you are charged with counterfeiting, there are a number of different ways that you could go about defending the charges. One of the most common is to simply state that you did not know that the bills or other goods you held were fake. If this is a small isolated incident, this is likely a very good defense that could help you to have the charges dropped.

If the evidence of the crime was found through an illegal process, you could also have the charges dropped. This is especially true if the police officers did not have a warrant to search you or your home.

Benefits of Legal Support
Since criminal counterfeiting is such a serious crime and charge that can come with some very severe penalties, it is almost always a good idea to hire a criminal defense lawyer if you are charged. A lawyer will be able to work with you and the prosecutors to develop a good defense plan. In many situations, this can include taking a plea deal to a lesser charge. This may allow you to avoid getting out of jail time completely. However, you will likely be on a strict probation for a period of time.

Are you being investigated for federal counterfeiting, or have you recently been charged with a crime? Counterfeiting crimes are serious in nature. The investigating law enforcement agency, which may commonly be the FBI or the U.S. Secret Service, will conduct a thorough investigation to build a solid case against the accused party before charges are filed. With this in mind, your counterfeiting criminal defense attorney should be active in your case as soon as possible.

Understanding Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting is a type of forgery that specifically relates to fraud against the U.S. government. The crime of forgery covers fake items like a college diploma, artwork and other items. Counterfeiting, on the other hand, covers everything from forged postage stamps, currency and securities to a patent letter, military discharge papers, passports and more.

It is important to note that counterfeiting specifically involves the creation of these items with the intent to use them for fraudulent purposes. Other associated crimes relate to the possession of counterfeit items and their usage. There are also associated crimes for having the tools and supplies necessary to make a counterfeit item, for the alteration of motor vehicle ID numbers, for assembling two parts of bills or other items to create a fake item and more.

Penalties for Counterfeiting
Because of the wide range of criminal activities that fall under counterfeiting laws, the penalties for different charges vary. If you are convicted of counterfeiting U.S. securities, for example, you may spend up to 25 years in prison and be fined up to $250,000. However, the penalties can be more severe if the victim of the crime suffered financial loss because of your actions or if the defendant benefited from financial gain. For some crimes, the fine may be increased up to twice the amount of your gain or the victim’s loss. As another example of a counterfeiting penalty, creating fake postage stamps may result in up to five years in prison and a large fine.
In many cases, multiple charges related to the counterfeiting activity may be filed against the accused party. For example, a charge of counterfeiting often comes with charges of fraud, a drug crime, various white-collar crimes and more.

Defense Strategies for Counterfeiting Charges
Often, the prosecutor in a counterfeiting case has a considerable amount of physical evidence that can be presented in court. In such instances, the defendant may believe that a guilty verdict is inevitable, but this is not always the case. When a criminal defense lawyer with specific expertise in counterfeiting is hired, that professional can strategically build a solid defense for the accused. While there are many possible defense strategies, several are commonly used.

For example, because intent to defraud is an essential component of counterfeiting laws, a common defense is to show that the accused party did not intend to use the fake item for fraudulent purposes. If only fake currency was found by the law enforcement officials, for example, it could be argued that the items were intended to be used as a private joke among friends. However, if a Treasury plate was also found, this likely would not be a suitable defense strategy. Keep in mind that possession of a Treasury plate is a criminal act regardless of intent.
Another potential defense is that the fake document’s quality is too poor to be considered a counterfeit. The matter of intent may also be brought up with this argument. For example, the quality is so poor that the accused could not realistically intend to pass it off as a legitimate document or item. Be aware, however, that the entire document does not need to be forged in order for counterfeiting to be proven in court. For example, a conviction is possible even if the back side of a bill is left blank.

Consult with an Attorney
It can take time to build a successful defense against counterfeiting charges, so a criminal defense attorney should be hired as soon as possible. In fact, your attorney may be able to successfully argue that your civil rights have been violated or to negotiate a plea bargain if he or she is involved earlier in the case. If you need to hire a criminal defense attorney with experience in counterfeiting crimes, contact the office today by phone or email to request a consultation.

Are you being investigated for federal counterfeiting, or have you recently been charged with a crime? Counterfeiting crimes are serious in nature. The investigating law enforcement agency, which may commonly be the FBI or the U.S. Secret Service, will conduct a thorough investigation to build a solid case against the accused party before charges are filed. With this in mind, your counterfeiting criminal defense attorney should be active in your case as soon as possible.

Understanding Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting is a type of forgery that specifically relates to fraud against the U.S. government. The crime of forgery covers fake items like a college diploma, artwork and other items. Counterfeiting, on the other hand, covers everything from forged postage stamps, currency and securities to a patent letter, military discharge papers, passports and more.

It is important to note that counterfeiting specifically involves the creation of these items with the intent to use them for fraudulent purposes. Other associated crimes relate to the possession of counterfeit items and their usage. There are also associated crimes for having the tools and supplies necessary to make a counterfeit item, for the alteration of motor vehicle ID numbers, for assembling two parts of bills or other items to create a fake item and more.

Penalties for Counterfeiting
Because of the wide range of criminal activities that fall under counterfeiting laws, the penalties for different charges vary. If you are convicted of counterfeiting U.S. securities, for example, you may spend up to 25 years in prison and be fined up to $250,000. However, the penalties can be more severe if the victim of the crime suffered financial loss because of your actions or if the defendant benefited from financial gain. For some crimes, the fine may be increased up to twice the amount of your gain or the victim’s loss. As another example of a counterfeiting penalty, creating fake postage stamps may result in up to five years in prison and a large fine.
In many cases, multiple charges related to the counterfeiting activity may be filed against the accused party. For example, a charge of counterfeiting often comes with charges of fraud, a drug crime, various white-collar crimes and more.

Defense Strategies for Counterfeiting Charges
Often, the prosecutor in a counterfeiting case has a considerable amount of physical evidence that can be presented in court. In such instances, the defendant may believe that a guilty verdict is inevitable, but this is not always the case. When a criminal defense lawyer with specific expertise in counterfeiting is hired, that professional can strategically build a solid defense for the accused. While there are many possible defense strategies, several are commonly used.

For example, because intent to defraud is an essential component of counterfeiting laws, a common defense is to show that the accused party did not intend to use the fake item for fraudulent purposes. If only fake currency was found by the law enforcement officials, for example, it could be argued that the items were intended to be used as a private joke among friends. However, if a Treasury plate was also found, this likely would not be a suitable defense strategy. Keep in mind that possession of a Treasury plate is a criminal act regardless of intent.
Another potential defense is that the fake document’s quality is too poor to be considered a counterfeit. The matter of intent may also be brought up with this argument. For example, the quality is so poor that the accused could not realistically intend to pass it off as a legitimate document or item. Be aware, however, that the entire document does not need to be forged in order for counterfeiting to be proven in court. For example, a conviction is possible even if the back side of a bill is left blank.

Consult with an Attorney
It can take time to build a successful defense against counterfeiting charges, so a criminal defense attorney should be hired as soon as possible. In fact, your attorney may be able to successfully argue that your civil rights have been violated or to negotiate a plea bargain if he or she is involved earlier in the case. If you need to hire a criminal defense attorney with experience in counterfeiting crimes, contact the office today by phone or email to request a consultation.

When most people think of counterfeiting, they usually think about money being copied in some way and passed off as the real thing. While this is a form of counterfeiting, there are other items that can be faked as well, such as jewelry or antique objects. When someone is charged with counterfeiting, it’s usually considered a federal crime because it often involves a significant amount of money. Keep in mind that the federal government often thinks of counterfeiting in different ways than the general public might think of the crime.

Even though someone can counterfeit clothing, shoes, art and other items, the federal government usually refers to the crime as anything that has to do with money, documents or other items that are involved with the federal law and production. The federal government often sees counterfeiting as anything that has to do with defrauding the United States in some manner. Laws that are created typically cover money, stamps used for postage, patent letters, papers related to ships, and any type of legal document. These documents can include deeds, a power of attorney statement, receipts, contracts or documents that have been issued by the government.

There are a few other types of counterfeiting crimes that should be examined because you can be charged for these issues as well. If you are in possession of a counterfeit item, then you can be charged. At times, you might not know that you are in possession of a counterfeit. If you can provide proof, then you might be able to defeat the charges, especially with the assistance of an attorney. Passing a counterfeit as a true document is another common charge. An example would be passing any kind of monetary bill as a true bill when it’s a fake. Sometimes, counterfeit money can get circulated in the general public. This would mean that you might not know that you’re in possession of a fake piece of money. If you do know that you hold a counterfeit bill, you need to turn it into the proper authorities so that it can be dealt with.

Another way to be charged with counterfeiting is if you are in possession of the tools needed to complete the process. These tools could include printers, ink and original documents or materials that you plan to counterfeit. Counterfeiting includes removing numbers from vehicles so that you can add new ones. This is a type of counterfeiting charge that some mechanics or car dealers see. They will remove the numbers and apply for a new VIN number if they don’t want a buyer to know the past history, such as accidents of flood reports. If you need help with federal appeals, our federal appeals lawyers can assist with this as well.

An example of counterfeiting that you don’t hear about as often involves pasting pieces of money or documents on top of each other to make one that is fake. Some people will do this when they want to make counterfeit money. Charges could be separate or together depending on the amount of money involved, the materials that are involved and whether the person legitimately knew about the counterfeit materials.

The penalty for counterfeiting varies in each state. Most of the time, people who counterfeit money can expect to receive up to 25 years in a federal prison and fines of up to $200,000. If there is any kind of financial gain, then the length of the prison sentence can be increased as well as the fines that you have to pay. If the counterfeited materials are only documents or minor documents, such as postage stamps, then the prison sentence will usually be decreased significantly as well as the fines involved.

If you have been charged with counterfeiting, then you need to consider hiring an attorney who can help prepare your defense. Your attorney can examine the evidence that you produce as to whether you knew that the items were counterfeit or not. This evidence could mean staying out of jail or being sentenced to a lengthy prison term. Since counterfeiting is typically seen as a federal offense, it’s sometimes hard to fight the charges without an attorney. A common defense that is used is that you didn’t know the items were fake when you took them into your possession. If you can provide names of people who gave you the items, then the attorney can sometimes use the information to help in your defense.

Counterfeiting: What You Need to Know

Counterfeiting is the intentional act of forging something in order to pass it off as genuine, which is a serious federal offense that can result in up to 15 years of jail time and hefty fines. Although counterfeiting is often associated with money, such as bills, checks, and coins, it can also be used for making fake designer items, legal documents, IDs, and licenses. The key element in a counterfeiting case is acting willfully and with the intent to defraud, which prosecutors must prove. However, Spodek Law Group and Attorney Todd Spodek will work hard to prove otherwise and to mitigate potential criminal penalties.

Counterfeited Items

Counterfeiting can involve a range of items, including money, checks, art, jewelry, watches, handbags, designer clothing, legal documents, IDs, and licenses.

Federal Counterfeiting Offenses

Under federal law, counterfeiting includes the creation, distribution, and use of counterfeit currency or securities, specific types of documents, and various types of goods. Federal statutes specifically prohibit the creation, selling, or use of counterfeit U.S. or foreign currency or securities, as well as the possession or sale of imprints or images to be used to create counterfeit currency or securities.

Federal statutes also prohibit the creation, forging, or distribution of different types of counterfeit documents, including federal court documents, documents dealing with federal government contracts, documents issued by specific lending institutions, and documents related to imports and custom duties. In addition, public records counterfeited to defraud the U.S. government, counterfeited bonds, counterfeited seals of federal agencies, and counterfeited USPS stamps are explicitly prohibited by federal law.

Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods

Trafficking in counterfeit goods is also a federal crime, often involving a trademark infringement offense. The counterfeited goods can include passports and other IDs, credit cards, works of art, jewelry, watches, clothing, and electronics.

Defending Against Counterfeiting Charges

To convict someone of any type of counterfeiting, federal prosecutors have to prove intent to defraud others. Therefore, they must prove that you intended to pass off a copy or replica of an item as being the original or as being genuine. Challenging the prosecution’s claim of intent could then be a feasible defense strategy. Spodek Law Group and Attorney Todd Spodek understand the nuances of federal counterfeiting statutes and cases, and know how the federal court system works. They will fight aggressively to protect your rights and your freedom.

Common Forgery and Counterfeiting Charges

Common forgery and counterfeiting charges include possession of the counterfeit currency or payment instrument, manufacture of counterfeit currency, using counterfeit currency or selling it to others, possessing tools for making counterfeit currency, conspiring with other people to make, possess, use or sell counterfeit currency, passing forged checks or other monetary instruments, such as cashier’s checks or money orders.

Modern image-making technology has become more and more sophisticated, allowing people to create more convincing, passable counterfeit money. Counterfeiters are also creative and resourceful, which is why a recent trend consisted of passing apparent $100 bills which were actually $5 bills with only the numbers at the corners and the president’s face altered. These hybrid bills are very convincing to the point that many people have passed them unknowingly and unintentionally.

Counterfeiting Defense Attorneys

If you have been charged with counterfeiting, the prosecution will need to prove that you committed the action named in the charges knowingly. Whatever your specific charges and whatever series of events led to