Property Crimes

Published on: November 19, 2012

Los Angeles Petty Theft Conviction Nets Octogenarian Six-Year Jail Sentence!

In case you are under the false belief that your recent Los Angeles petty theft charge would result, at worse, in a metaphorical “slap on the wrist,” think again.

82-year-old Doris Ann Gamble recently pled guilty to Los Angeles petty theft… and netted a six year jail sentence!

Why on Earth would prosecutors bring down the hammer so hard on an octogenarian? The answer has to do with Ms. Gamble’s history.

Published on: November 7, 2012

Los Angeles Petty Theft Defendants: What You Can Learn from Theft of Amy Winehouse’s Wedding Dress

by Michael Kraut

You’ve been recently arrested and booked on charges of petty theft in Los Angeles. Whether you pilfered a few bottles of Tide from a CVS or Walgreens or stole a small piece of jewelry to pawn or give away as a gift, you may or may not be taking your legal situation seriously.

On the other hand, you understand that you’re in trouble. If convicted of a misdemeanor theft crime in Southern California, you could face disaster if you ever get arrested and convicted again. Just two convictions of Los Angeles petty theft – even separated by years! – allows prosecutors to hit you with a felony, which could land you behind bars for over a year.

In the short-term, you could also face substantial and immediate problems, such as a steep fine, public humiliation, and even jail time. And that’s not even counting the indirect fallout. For instance, perhaps you stole from your employer, in which case you’ll likely get fired. If it takes you another three months to find a new job, that means that you’ll “miss out” on three months worth of wages – which could add up to thousands of dollars and indirectly lead to even more problems, such as credit card debt, creditor harassment, and on and on.

Published on: November 1, 2012

Got Arrested for Petty Theft in Los Angeles? 3 “Egg Theft” Cases Indicate That Your Case May Not Be So Original, After All…

by Michael Kraut

You’ve recently been arrested for petty theft or grand theft in Los Angeles.

Not only are you sweating the potential legal ramifications — you don’t want to go jail or pay thousands of dollars in fines and restitution — but you’re also concerned that your case might be “one of a kind.” Perhaps you stole something “weird” for a fluky reason. Or maybe the events that occurred before, during, or after the theft were very quirky. As a result, you fear that even the best Southern California criminal defense lawyer might not know how to assist you.

Odds are, however, that your case is far more “normal” than you realize.

Published on: October 18, 2012

Medicare Fraud Strike Force Scores Victory: Ambulance Admin Submitted Over $1.7 Million in False Claims

by Michael Kraut

On October 16th, 31-year-old Okechukwu Ofoegbu pled guilty to charges that he had tried to bilk Medicare out of over $1.7 million. His arrest, prosecution, and guilty charge showcase the seriousness with which the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has been cracking down on crimes like Los Angeles healthcare fraud.

Back in May, Ofoegbu was indicted along with 106 other people, including nurses, doctors, and medical specialists of all types, for allegedly trying to falsely bill Medicare for over $452 million. The Medicare Fraud Strike Force – the group that organized the investigation and indictments – has charged nearly 1,500 defendants since the spring of 2007. Collectively, these people have been accused of trying to steal ~$5 billion from Medicare’s coffers.

Ofoegbu’s plea arrangement will net him a restitution fine of over $550,000, and he could face up to a decade behind bars. He will be sentenced in January 2013.

Published on: October 12, 2012

4 Weird Examples of Los Angeles Petty Theft

by Michael Kraut

Whether you’ve been arrested for Los Angeles petty theft for stealing Tide detergent from a local grocery store or for swiping human hair from the garbage bins of a salon, you might be shocked to know that you are not alone – not by a long shot.

Indeed, bizarre theft crimes in Southern California are actually surprisingly common. Here are 3 weird items that are regularly pilfered.

1. Tide Detergent

Published on: September 27, 2012

No More Los Angeles Petty Theft Charges for Lindsay Lohan: Prosecutors Drop Case against Actress

by Michael Kraut

Did Lindsay Lohan perpetrate theft in Los Angeles and add yet again to her litany of brushes with the law?

We’ll never know, since the Los Angeles Police Department has now closed a case against her, after prosecutors abandoned the idea of filing charges. News reports noted that detectives at the LAPD wanted to chat with Lohan about an event that occurred on August 18th, in which a credit card, cash, and some sunglasses were swiped from a home in the Hollywood Hills.

One of the victims, millionaire Sam Magid, apparently had a long-term relationship with Lohan. Prosecutors encountered trouble because eyewitnesses refused to cooperate, and the victims also did not want to go through the hassle of prosecuting, for whatever reason. Out of possibilities, the LAPD basically gave up: good news for Lohan, whose acting career has taken a backseat to her tabloid exploits – most famously her 2007 Los Angeles DUI and probation violations, which this blog and other media sources covered at length.

Published on: September 18, 2012

Petty Theft Conviction in Los Angeles Will Make LL Cool J’s Burglars’ Defense That Much More Complicated

by Michael Kraut

Could a conviction for petty theft in Los Angeles (e.g. for shoplifting some t-shirts or clothes) ultimately land you a 30-year prison conviction and $1.1 million bail?

If that scenario sounds far-fetched, think again.

It’s a reality for 56-years-old Jonathan Kirby, who was charged last week with breaking into rapper LL Cool J’s house. Kirby apparently picked the wrong house to burglarize. When the NCIS: Los Angeles star woke from his slumber around 2 AM, Cool J – a.k.a. James Todd Smith – confronted Kirby and got into a brawl with him. Cool J smashed up Kirby’s nose and broke his ribs and jaw before detaining the intruder and holding him there. Police believe Cool J acted in self-defense, and no charges against have been filed against him.

Published on: September 10, 2012

Big, Garish Los Angeles Medicare Fraud News: Ting Huan Tai Allegedly Defrauded Benefits Programs of $30 million to Buy Lamborghini (Among Other Things)

by Michael Kraut

If you have come under investigation for a serious Los Angeles Medicare fraud or Medi-Cal fraud crime, be thankful your situation is probably not as bad as 34-year-old Ting Huan Tai’s.

Tai allegedly ran a massive scam out of his New York City apartment (designed by the architect Frank Gehry). Federal prosecutors say that Tai stole the identify of a doctor and then used that identity to procure millions and millions of dollars of Medicare and Medi-Cal funds by billing for radiological services that no one ever provided to patients. Tai worked with this doctor before nabbing his identity.

Authorities seized Tai’s blue Lamborghini, among other possessions, and his parents had to put up their Great Neck home and other assets to pay his $2 million bond. So far there hasn’t been a grand jury indictment; rumor are swirling that the defendant is maneuvering to get a plea deal. If convicted of all the charges against him, Tai could face a decade behind bars.

Published on: August 24, 2012

Federal Investigators Targeting Tax Fraud and Identify Theft in Los Angeles and Beyond

by Michael Kraut

Have you committed tax fraud or identify theft in Los Angeles?

If so, the federal government may be heading your way – if they aren’t there already.

The Feds are outraged at a recent rash of tax fraud cases that, quite frankly, do boggle the mind. According to Sun Sentinel report, several homes in Florida filed hundreds of tax returns each. For instance, a home near Lake Okeechobee filed 741 tax returns, which netted over $1 million in refunds. An Orlando postbox apparently received nearly $1.1 million based on over 700 fraudulent returns filed. Another home in Tampa sent out 515 fraudulent returns and raked in nearly $2 million from the federal government.

Published on: August 19, 2012

Los Angeles Medicare Fraud Analysis: How and when should academics be punished?

by Michael Kraut

A provocative article by author Jon Wiener in the August 7 issue of The Nation magazine raises intriguing questions about Los Angeles Medicare fraud. Specifically, Wiener asks whether academics who indirectly create/perpetuate medical fraud in Southern California and elsewhere should be punished. And if so, how?

Wiener’s editorial concerns recent GlaxoSmithKline healthcare fraud charges. The giant drug maker pled guilty on July 3rd and agreed to pay out approximately $3 billion in connection with promoting antidepressant pharmaceuticals for uses that had not been approved. At the center of the case was a medical journal article that seemed to give Paxil a pass. The article essentially said Paxil was safe and effective for helping children with depression.

The authors who contributed to the article included Dr. David Feinberg, the head of UCLA’s hospital. But a Department of Justice investigation found out that the pharmaceutical company had paid for that journal article – which critics said “dangerously misrepresented dangers and [hid] information indicating that the drug promoted suicidal behavior among teenagers.”