Maybe you concocted a sophisticated Los Angeles Medicare fraud scheme that raided the Federal Government’s coffers to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars. Or maybe you’re being investigated for failing to meet a Byzantine health care requirement.
Before taking action, read this list of five “don’ts,” so you can avoid making further mistakes that could imperil your case and lead to unnecessarily long jail sentences, the stripping of your professional license, humiliation, massive fines, and worse.
5 “Don’ts”
1. Don’t lie.
Do NOT lie to authorities, investigators, your family, your Southern California white-collar crime lawyer, and, most importantly, yourself.
This isn’t to say that you need to “spill your guts” to investigators probing your business. You want to be strategic about how and when you disclose facts. But it IS very important that you completely disclose what you did – or what you think you did – to your attorney, who will keep that information in confidence.
Likewise, you need to be totally upfront with yourself about what you did and why you did it. It is difficult to introspect. But it’s an important part of the healing process – important not just for legal reasons but also for spiritual reasons. When you understand your underlying motivations, you can take actions to avoid getting in trouble in the future.
2. Don’t wait to get assistance.
Los Angeles healthcare fraud defendants often wait far too long to begin to come to grips with their situations. This is dangerous. If you wait too long, you may fail to collect potentially exonerating evidence. Besides, those days and weeks of “not knowing” can lead to unnecessary stress, anxiety, and depression.
3. Don’t look “outside” to assign blame.
Sure, you can blame “the system” for setting your business up to fail. Yes, you can blame an incompetent or a sleazy partner or associate for getting you involved in mischief. Of course, you can rail against the circumstances of your upbringing for “putting you in this position.” But the less responsibility you take for your actions, the more difficult it will be for you to change and effectively fight the charges.
Even if you face unfair – perhaps totally unwarranted – charges, take responsibility to the extent that you can, and you will feel more empowered.
4. Don’t beat yourself up.
Avoid judging or “hating on” yourself. What happened, happened. That’s reality. But it doesn’t mean that you are a “bad” person. You just made decisions that failed to meet your needs and the needs of others. The degree that you blame yourself or others is the degree to which you remain trapped in negative, unproductive mental models. Get rid of the shame, the blame, and the projections. Instead, focus on the true facts – the objective facts – of your current case and how you want your situation to be in 3 months, 6 months, a year from now, etc.
5. Don’t give up hope.
You know the expressions – “it’s always darkest before the dawn,” “the Chinese word for danger also means opportunity,” etc. But there is truth in these aphorisms!
Keep hope alive.
Your Los Angeles Medicare fraud charges are not the end of the world. You can turn your life around. Begin right now by connecting with the experienced, ethical team at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers. Attorney Michael Kraut is a former prosecutor who has tremendous experience representing Southern California white collar crime defendants. He can help you develop and execute a smart and sound defense.