A criminal defense attorney in Miami Dade who has experience in criminal tax charges can help explain the process of a tax fraud investigation.  This investigation is usually conducted by the Criminal Investigative Division or the Internal Revenue Service.  Scott Saul is a criminal defense attorney in Miami Dade who has successfully defended clients against charges of tax crimes, including tax fraud.

Tax fraud occurs when a person intentionally avoids paying taxes that are due to the federal government.  This crime is usually based on intentional concealment or misrepresentation of a person’s financial situation in order to reduce a person’s tax liability.  Common examples of tax fraud include:

• Under-stating income
• Falsifying deductions
• Under-reporting capital gains or profits
• Forging tax forms
• Adding dependents
• Claiming salaries paid for non-existent individuals

The Criminal Investigative Division may receive a report regarding possible tax evasion.  It then conducts a thorough investigation.  This division then refers the case to prosecutors from the United States Department of Justice Tax Division.  If these prosecutors believe there is sufficient evidence of tax evasion, they forward the case to an attorney in the jurisdiction where the charges arose.

While this process may seem intimidating, the multiple phases in the investigation can provide opportunities to resolve the case before it gets to a courtroom.  A skilled criminal defense lawyer can meet with investigators and prosecutors at each stage to help prevent the case making it to court.  We may be able to show how the action was not fraud and was instead due to a mistake or misunderstanding.  An experienced criminal defense lawyer can guide you through a tax audit or Criminal Investigative Division investigation.  We can advise you on what questions to avoid answering.

If the case does go to court.  An experienced criminal defense lawyers can defend the case in front of a jury.