Voluntary Disclosure With the emergence of spring also comes tax season. If you live and work in the U.S., you have a legal obligation to comply with the nation’s tax laws. Should you fail to file or pay your taxes each year, you may face serious consequences, including fines and the possibility of a prison sentence.If you purposely did not comply with federal tax laws, participating in the voluntary disclosure practice may offer a path toward resolving the issue with limited

While there are many different types of fraud, the opioid crisis in the United States is causing increased cases of prescription fraud. Reuters reports that nearly 60 people in Texas currently face charges stemming from this type of crime, with other instances increasing across the U.S.Because there are several different types of prescription fraud, understanding some of the most common examples may help you protect yourself during a time when some may try to take advantage o

Health care fraud costs the nation billions of dollars every year. If you are a physician involved in health care fraud, even by mistake, your livelihood is at stake.The complexities private, local, state and federal regulations are difficult to understand. As a provider, though, you can take steps to protect your reputation and your way of life.Common mistakes by physiciansIf you think you are immune to committing health care fraud, you are wrong. Fraud can happen when you f

It is not uncommon for a primary care physician to refer patients to specialists if they require individualized care in a specific area. In fact, some patients may have a few doctors caring for them at any given time. Yet, when patients seek the care of many doctors as a way to obtain prescription medication, usually controlled substances or medication that has abuse potential, it is called doctor shopping.Doctor shopping occurs when patients manipulate the system to get what

During America’s prohibition era, Illegal alcohol sales allowed crime syndicates to gain vast amounts of money. Mobsters used money laundering to hide their tracks and give law enforcement the slip. Anti-money laundering laws do prevent many criminals from using these methods to legitimize their money. However, people still launder money every day. When someone launders money, he or she is trying to make criminally obtained money appear as though it came from a reputable sou

Stories of fraud being committed by people in Austin can often stir up emotion (particularly when those who are the targets of such accusations are seemingly well off financially). In such situations, it may be easy for authorities to turn public opinion against those accused by painting them as being motivated simply by greed (rather than considering alternative intentions behind a defendant's alleged actions). Such prejudicial actions can make it difficult for one accused i

Under the False Claims Act, prosecutors may charge health care professionals with Medicare fraud for submitting a claim for services that a patient does not actually need. Even without the intention to defraud the government, if a medical professional knowingly or recklessly submitted a claim containing false information, he or she may face allegations of fraud. In one recent case, law enforcement officials charged a 57-year-old Texas resident and business owner with health

State laws cover most crimes, such as murder or theft. State laws can be about almost anything, as long as the law is constitutional. This gives rise to many funny state laws, like making it illegal to sell your own eyeball in Texas. Federal crimes, however, tend to be a lot more specific.In order to pass a federal law, there must be some reason to do so on a national level. Counterfeiting, for example, is a federal crime. Because the federal government is responsible for pri

Your right to remain silent would likely be one of your most important protections should you ever come under investigation for any type of fraud. Especially in cases that could involve federal courts, such as bank fraud, it would be important to understand this liberty. Although your right to remain silent is powerful, it is also one of the easiest protections you can compromise personally. In most cases, you must positively assert it. As explained on FindLaw, you could eve

It is common for the commission of one crime to lead to the commission of another crime. Prosecutors will often bring multiple charges against a defendant in court for crimes resulting from one incident. This is a strategy that gives the prosecutor the ability to create plea bargains. However, in some cases, there really are multiple and distinct crimes that comes from the initial incident. This is what happened in a Texas town recently.Multiple times since Thanksgiving, resi

Facing a drug charge in Texas? You are not alone. A significant percentage of those currently incarcerated in Texas are where they are because of drug convictions, but this may not necessarily have to be your fate. At the Law Office of E.G. Morris, we understand that many people with drug convictions find that, by enrolling in drug court, they are able to avoid time behind bars. We have helped many people in your shoes pursue solutions that reflect their needs. According to

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, there were multiple independent investigations last year by the investigators of the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division together with agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The aim was to identify the individuals and criminal organizations suspected of prescription drug fraud. Several suspects were put behind bars as they conspired to obtain controlled substances fraudulently. Some of

Even if you are in perfect health, you likely already know how abysmally expensive healthcare is in Texas and the rest of the U.S., even if you have health insurance. For that reason, maybe you have thought about taking advantage of an unfair and unbalanced system. Before you do, see what Pacific Prime, an insurance provider, has to say about health care system fraud and its impact. Cracks stretch rampant and deep throughout the system, but you do not want to damage it furth

Medical professionals in Texas, like all physicians nationwide, must comply with the Anti-kickback statute. This law prohibits any practicing medical professional from receiving or giving payment for patient referrals in federally funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Most often, referral arrangements occur between sole-proprietor physician offices and ancillary support services such as home health care. This type of arrangement often faces scrutiny for health care fra

You may have heard about people facing charges of embezzlement in the Texas news. This is a charge that can occur in many different settings. It also is one that people from all walks of life may commit. The basis of embezzlement, as the U.S. Department of Justice defines it, is when you misuse property entrusted to you by the owner. The vital part of that definition is that you got the property legally by the owner giving it to you. The criminal act only occurred after you

Most of what you post on social media is public domain. For the most part, throughout the country and in Texas, people post on social media without a lot of thought behind it. Often, social media is a collection of snapshots of a person’s life. You post what you want others to see. Unfortunately, this does not always mean that people post smartly. Some want attention, some think little about the content and click share too quickly. If you are in trouble for a drug offense, yo

Being a healthcare provider can offer you a lot of fulfillment while helping people heal. Unfortunately, this profession also comes with many challenges, and dealing with insurance is one of many. If you are being charged with Medicaid fraud, it is imperative that you understand the laws and how charges could affect your career.The law considers providing the Medicaid program incorrect information as fraud. If you derive financial benefit from the proceeds, the state can char

Whether you’re dealing with a business or personal account, bank fraud is a very real concern for many people. You probably have a lot of questions regarding the topic and getting the right answers to these questions can help you protect yourself. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Treasury offers answers the following questions to expand your understanding of bank fraud and similar issues. Will the bank catch signature differences on checks? While it’s true that some bank

When it comes to healthcare fraud, these cases can result in significant repercussions which can have a major impact on providers. We recently discussed some of the consequences of these cases in a blog post, such as significant penalties and even prison sentences. However, some physicians find themselves facing these charges even though they are completely innocent. Nonetheless, there is a harsh stigma surrounding these allegations and they can shatter a physician's career i

When it comes to prescription fraud, there are various reasons why physicians, pharmacies, nurses, pharmacy employees and those who take prescriptions may find themselves facing charges. It is important to understand the many different reasons why these cases arise and take steps to handle these allegations properly if you have been accused of prescription fraud. Across Texas, many people have had their lives ruined as a result of prescription fraud cases, and these charges h