Under state and federal law, the government can seize any property or assets it believes were acquired with proceeds from illegal activity. These forfeiture proceedings can be either criminal or civil in nature; if they are civil, they can be separate from the criminal trial of the accused and are a civil matter. As a result, even if you are found not guilty of committing fraud, certain assets and property, if not seized, may be forfeited by the government in a civil proceeding.
Our defense lawyers work with investigators and accountants to challenge criminal and civil forfeitures. If contacted early on in an investigation, our attorneys can often preempt attempts on the part of the government to initiate a criminal forfeiture.