Blog
Federal Detention Pending Appeal: Staying Out During Appeal
Spodek Law Group, is a premier, and award winning federal criminal defense law firm with offices throughout NYC and nationwide reach. Our team has experience dealing with some of the toughest federal appellate cases in the country. Todd Spodek—a second-generation criminal defense attorney with many, many years of federal experience—has represented high-profile clients like Anna […]
read moreUndercover Agent Approached Me
Contents1 You’re Already Months Late2 Follow the Money3 The “Clearing Things Up” Trap – And Why 70% Of Our Clients Who Talked First Got Additional Charges3.1 Here’s what actually happens when you try and “clear things up”4 What You Need to Do RIGHT NOW4.1 “I want to speak to a lawyer and remain silent.”5 Verifying […]
read moreFederal Identity Theft Defense Lawyers
Contents1 Federal Identity Theft Defense: When You’re the Victim but Prosecutors Think You’re the Criminal2 The 72-Hour Evidence Window3 Why “Clearing Things Up” Gets You 5 More Years4 The Timeline Trap5 Federal Charges That Don’t Apply to Victims Federal Identity Theft Defense: When You’re the Victim but Prosecutors Think You’re the Criminal Spodek Law Group […]
read moreBorrowed PPP Loan for Non-Existent Business: Defense Options
Contents1 The “Non-Existent Business” Definition – What It Actually Means in Federal Court2 The $150K Threshold – Why Your Loan Amount Determines Everything3 The Incorporation Date Timeline Test – When You Formed the Business Changes Everything4 Restitution Timing Windows – When Paying Back Matters vs. When It’s Too Late5 What to Do RIGHT NOW – […]
read moreFederal Search Warrant Execution
At Spodek Law Group, we’ve defended federal criminal cases for over 40 years as a second-generation, and premier criminal defense law firm based out of NYC. We understand how federal cases work. And how federal search warrants – are just the start of a formal federal investigation. Often, the outcome has already been decided. Led […]
read moreFederal Bank Robbery Defense Lawyers
Contents1 You Just Got Arrested – What Happens Next2 The Sentence You’re Actually Facing3 Circuit Split Changes Your Sentence by 10 Years4 “I Just Passed a Note” – Still 20 Years5 Federal Defender Crisis – Need Private Counsel6 Challenging Federal Jurisdiction7 When Robbery Becomes Capital Murder8 What To Do RIGHT NOW Spodek Law Group, is […]
read moreFederal Carjacking Charges Defense Lawyers
Contents1 What Happens in the Next 48 Hours (The Detention Hearing Nobody Tells You About)2 How Your State Case Became Federal (DOJ Task Force Weekly Meetings)3 What the Government Must Prove (And Where They Fail)3.1 Intent to Cause Death or Serious Bodily Harm3.2 Interstate Commerce4 Your Actual Prison Time (Sentencing Guidelines, Not Statutory Maximums)5 The […]
read moreOregon Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers
Contents1 Your Oregon Criminal Lawyer Probably Can’t Practice Federal Court2 Federal Time Isn’t State Time – The 85% Rule Means What It Says3 Federal Defender Office Has 200+ Cases Per Lawyer (The Math Doesn’t Work)4 Oregon Federal Bail Hearing at 1000 SW Third Avenue = Different Standard5 What You’re Actually Facing – U.S. Attorney + […]
read moreCompany Raided While You’re CEO
Contents1 The 48 Hours That Just Started Ticking2 Why “I Didn’t Know” Won’t Save You2.1 The RCO Reality3 Your Company’s Lawyer Isn’t YOUR Lawyer3.1 What Happens in Practice4 The Interview Trap4.1 The Interview Relay Technique5 What Happens After the Raid5.1 The Timeline5.2 Why Early Intervention Matters6 Your Next Move6.1 At Spodek Law Group, we’ve defended […]
read moreCooperation vs Fighting Charges: The Decision That Determines Your Next 10 Years
Contents1 Why Co-Defendants Race to Flip First2 The Three Cases Where Fighting Beats Cooperating2.1 Scenario 1: Weak Conspiracy Evidence2.2 Scenario 2: Good-Faith Defense with Documentation2.3 Scenario 3: Constitutional Violations3 What Cooperation Actually Requires—And Why 40% of Cooperators Regret It3.1 Safety Reality Varies Dramatically by Case Type3.2 The Broken Promise Pattern Prosecutors Never Disclose Upfront4 How […]
read moreActual Innocence Claim
Contents1 You’re Innocent. In Federal Prison. The Deadline Passed.1.1 When Your Time REALLY Started Running (And You Didn’t Know)1.2 Why Innocence Alone Isn’t Enough1.3 The Legal Standard That Determines Everything1.4 New vs. Newly Available: The Distinction That Destroys Cases1.5 Section 2241: Your Escape Hatch When 2255 Is Dead1.6 $50,000 to $200,000: What Freedom Actually Costs1.7 […]
read moreHow to Respond to DOJ Inquiry About PPP Loan Forgiveness
Contents1 Signs They’re Already Building Their Case2 What You Believed vs What’s Happening Now3 Your Options Based off Loan Amount3.1 Under $50,000:3.2 $50,000 to $150,000:3.3 Above $150,000:4 Three Traps4.1 Trap #1: Appealing forgiveness denial4.2 Trap #2: Candid response to “civil” inquiry4.3 Trap #3: Contradicting your accountant’s statement5 What Happens Next 30-90 Days5.1 Day 1-7: DOJ […]
read moreSocial Media Posts as Evidence: What Prosecutors Know That You Don’t
Contents1 Everything You Deleted? They Got It Back2 Privacy Settings Don’t Work3 Metadata Is the Real Weapon4 Your Next Move Welcome to the Spodek Law Group. This article is geared towards answering a simple question: can social media posts be used as evidence in court. Many people don’t know the rules, and guidelines, but the […]
read moreSurveillance Video Your Defense
Contents1 Surveillance Video Your Defense: What Changed in 20251.1 They Got You On Video—That Doesn’t Mean You’re Finished1.2 What Changed April 20251.3 Can They Even Use It? The Suppression Matrix1.4 Defenses Prosecutors Aren’t Ready For1.5 Video Quality = Your Negotiating Power1.6 Force Them to Choose Authentication Theory Surveillance Video Your Defense: What Changed in 2025 […]
read moreWiretap Recordings Legal Challenges
Contents1 What Happened Before You Knew2 Five Ways These Get Thrown Out3 The Numbers Don’t Lie4 When To Fight vs When To Fold5 Three Catastrophic Mistakes6 Why Specialized Counsel Matters 717 people were convicted using wiretap evidence in federal court in 2024—a 57% increase from 2023. That number should terrify you if you’re facing prosecution […]
read moreRetainer Requirements Federal Cases
Contents1 Retainer Requirements Federal Cases1.1 The $50,000 Quote Is Just the Beginning1.2 What Happens When the Money Runs Out1.3 What Is a Retainer in Government and Court-Appointed Cases1.4 The Hidden Traps in Your Retainer Agreement1.5 How to Actually Negotiate and Protect Yourself1.6 What to Do Right Now Retainer Requirements Federal Cases Federal prosecutor just charged […]
read morePaying for Defense While Assets Frozen
Contents1 Paying for Defense While Assets Frozen1.1 Your Assets Just Got Frozen—What Happened and What’s Happening Right Now1.2 The Tainted vs. Untainted Distinction That Determines Everything1.3 The 72-Hour Emergency Window—What You Must Do RIGHT NOW1.4 Proving Your Assets Are Legitimate—The Documentation Battle1.5 Public Defender Now vs. Fight for Private Counsel—Your Strategic Choice Paying for Defense […]
read moreWhen Your Accountant Made PPP Mistakes—And Now You’re Liable
Contents1 When Your Accountant Made PPP Mistakes—And Now You’re Liable1.1 Your Accountant’s Malpractice Lawyer Represents the ACCOUNTANT (Not You)1.2 Cluster Investigation1.3 The Deadline (You Already Missed 21 Days)1.4 What You’ll Actually Pay1.5 Three Problems. Same Time.1.6 Your CPA Made It Worse1.7 About Spodek Law Group When Your Accountant Made PPP Mistakes—And Now You’re Liable Your […]
read morePublic Defender vs Private Attorney Federal
Contents1 What 2025 Federal Sentencing Data Shows2 Federal Defender Office vs CJA Panel Attorney3 The Invisible Advantages Federal Public Defenders Have4 Three Situations Where Private Attorney Matters5 About Spodek Law Group Thank you for visiting the Spodek Law Group. The goal of this article is to help you understand the difference between a Public Defender […]
read moreConfidential Informant Wearing Wires
Contents1 Confidential Informant Wearing Wire1.1 What You Already Said1.2 Being Right Gets You Destroyed1.3 Your Phone Was the Wire Confidential Informant Wearing Wire If you’re reading this, someone close to you—someone you trusted—is wearing a wire. Your business partner, your associate, maybe even a friend—they’re working with federal agents right now and recording every single […]
read moreEx-Business Partner Under Investigation
Contents1 Ex-Business Partner Under Investigation1.1 Your Risk? Different Than You Think1.2 The First 48 Hours – What Turns You From Witness Into Target1.3 What Actually Works vs What Sounds Good1.4 Should You Cooperate? No. Ex-Business Partner Under Investigation Your ex-business partner is under federal investigation. You left that partnership months or years ago – you’re […]
read moreParallel Civil and Criminal Cases
Contents1 Parallel Civil and Criminal Cases1.1 They’re Coordinating Against You – The DOJ Sharing Mechanism Nobody Explains1.2 The Catch-22 They Won’t Tell You About1.3 Civil Cases Won’t Wait1.4 When Settlement Helps and When It Destroys Your Defense1.5 Early Warning Signs You’re Facing Parallel Proceedings1.6 When Separate Attorneys Destroy Both Cases Parallel Civil and Criminal Cases […]
read moreRoommate Selling Drugs Am I Liable
Contents1 Roommate Selling Drugs Am I Liable1.1 You Got Arrested – What “Constructive Possession” Means and Why They Charged You Too1.2 The Evidence That Actually Determines If You Get Convicted1.3 You Have 48 Hours Before Prosecutors Decide Whether to Charge You1.4 Why Your Roommate Saying “The Drugs Are Mine” Doesn’t Clear You1.5 If You Suspect […]
read more72 Hours After Federal Arrest
# 72 Hours After Federal Arrest You’re sitting in a county jail cell. It’s been 18 hours since FBI agents handcuffed you at your home. Your wife is outside making calls, calling anyone she can think of—bail bondsmen, one after another—and she’s been at it for 4 hours and nobody will help. You keep asking […]
read more10 Days to Respond to Federal Subpoena
Contents1 Calculating Your Real Deadline (It’s Not What Google Says)2 Three Response Options (And Which One Prosecutors Negotiate On)3 The Fifth Amendment Trap (Documents vs. Testimony)4 Catastrophic Mistakes We’ve Seen (And What They Cost)5 If You Miss the Deadline: Civil vs. Grand Jury (Completely Different Timelines)6 Your 10-Day Action Plan (Day by Day) Welcome to […]
read moreArrested at JFK Airport Security
Contents1 Arrested at JFK Airport Security1.1 What Actually Just Happened: TSA Detection to Port Authority Police Arrest1.2 The Next 24 Hours: Your Timeline to Arraignment1.3 Your Rights During TSA Detention vs. After PAPD Arrest1.4 Why Your “Registered in My Home State” Defense Fails—And What Actually Works1.5 What You Need to Do RIGHT NOW Arrested at […]
read moreIRS Criminal Investigation Letter Received
Contents1 About Spodek Law Group2 What the 90% Conviction Rate Actually Means3 The First 24 Hours – Three Catastrophic Mistakes3.1 Mistake #1: Calling Your CPA First3.2 Mistake #2: Calling the IRS Agent3.3 Mistake #3: Gathering Documents Before You Retain an Attorney4 Target Letter vs. No Letter5 The Voluntary Disclosure Timing Trap6 What Your Attorney Needs […]
read moreDrug Testing Pretrial Release
Contents1 The First 72 Hours – Your Prescription Disclosure Deadline2 Missed Test vs. Failed Test3 Color Code – 70% Procedural Violations4 The THC 30-Day Detection Window5 The 2025 Study That Challenges Everything6 The 90-Day Modification Threshold7 What You Need To Do In The Next 24 Hours Welcome to Spodek Law Group. We are an award […]
read moreSearch Warrant Executed at My Home
Contents1 Search Warrant Executed at My Home1.1 About Spodek Law Group1.2 The Investigation Timeline You Didn’t Know About1.3 The Three Traps That Turn Cooperation Into Criminal Charges1.3.1 1. The Interrogation Trap1.3.2 2. Consent Beyond Warrant Scope1.3.3 3. The Post-Search Communication Trap1.4 Hour 0 to Month 18—Timeline from Search to Charging Decision1.5 Who Actually Gets Charged […]
read moreBank Accounts Frozen by Government
Contents1 The Truth They Don’t Tell You2 Criminal vs Civil – Which Type of Freeze You Got2.1 Civil Levy Indicators2.2 Criminal Forfeiture Indicators2.3 How to Tell the Difference3 What Government Knows (And The Timeline Nobody Tells You About)3.1 The 72-Hour Timeline3.2 Critical Deadline Information4 Protected Funds – They’re Frozen Too5 What NOT to Do – […]
read more