Recent Blog Posts
Can You Be Federally Prosecuted for a Ponzi Scheme?
Ponzi schemes are one of the most infamous financial frauds in the world of white-collar crime. Named after Charles Ponzi, who orchestrated the most infamous version of this scam in the 1920s, Ponzi schemes remain a highly effective but illegal method of defrauding investors. If you or someone you know is under investigation or facing charges related to a Ponzi scheme, you might be wondering: Can you face federal prosecution?
The answer is, unfortunately, yes. Ponzi schemes often involve large-scale fraud that crosses state lines or affects interstate commerce, making it a target for federal prosecutors. In this blog post, we will explore how federal charges related to Ponzi schemes work, what kind of penalties you might face, and how a skilled Illinois federal criminal defense lawyer can help you navigate these serious charges.
Can You Be Prosecuted in Illinois for Failing to Report Foreign Income?
U.S. citizens and permanent residents are obligated to report their income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including any income earned in foreign countries. If you live in Illinois and fail to report foreign income, you could face serious legal consequences, including criminal prosecution on both a state and federal level.
As of July 2025, aggressive enforcement of tax evasion and fraud laws is on the rise in Illinois. If you are under investigation for failing to disclose foreign income or you suspect a tax issue might become a criminal matter, speak with an experienced Will County, IL criminal defense attorney who has experience handling white collar offenses.
What Does the Law Say About Reporting Foreign Income?
Under federal law, all U.S. taxpayers must report foreign income on their annual tax return. This requirement includes wages, interest, dividends, rental income, and income from foreign investments. Depending on your circumstances and assets, you may also need to file additional forms. Some examples include the FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report), which is required under the Bank Secrecy Act if you have over $10,000 in foreign accounts, or the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Form 8938.
Preliminary Hearing vs. Grand Jury in Illinois
The grand jury plays a role in our criminal justice system. Grand juries are used in federal crimes, and all but two states and Washington, D.C. also use grand juries, usually for more serious crimes. While having a grand jury determine whether you will face criminal charges can be scary, it is essentially the same thing as a preliminary hearing. The primary difference is that a judge decides whether there is sufficient evidence against you for a trial in a preliminary hearing, while the 16 people that make up an Illinois grand jury decide whether you will be indicted and face trial.
Under the Illinois Constitution, you cannot face trial for a criminal offense that carries a prison sentence without having first been indicted by a grand jury or having a judge in a preliminary hearing find there is probable cause for a trial. There are similarities and differences between a preliminary hearing and a grand jury, detailed below. In either case, you will benefit from having a highly experienced Skokie, IL criminal defense lawyer by your side who will build a strong defense on your behalf.
String of Sexual Assaults Spanning Three Years Ends in Arrest
A series of sexual assaults in Chicago that spanned almost three years has resulted in the arrest of a man police say "hunted" his victims. The sexual assaults occurred in some of the most sought-after neighborhoods in the city. The 36-year-old man faces 18 charges related to five attacks. These charges include home invasion, strangulation with a dangerous instrument, sexual assault, and kidnapping.
The dates of the alleged attacks are from 2022 to February 2025, with no known assaults between July 2022 and January 2025, when the attacks resumed. The alleged perpetrator was returning from a trip to Algeria when he was arrested at O’Hare International Airport. Prosecutors on the case say that video, DNA evidence, and victim statements will be used to prove the charges.
What Can You Do When Your Child Is Taken Out of the Country?
Custody disputes during a divorce can be contentious and complex on their own, but when one parent removes a child from the U.S. without the approval of the other, the issues become exponentially more difficult, crossing over into the criminal law realm. In some cases, the country to which the child has been removed may not be a signatory to the Hague Convention. This makes resolving the issue considerably more complex.
Through the Department of Justice, removing a child to another country is punishable by a fine, imprisonment for up to three years, or both. The Federal offense for international child abduction cases was created to supplement the existing State remedies in parental abduction cases, including the use of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution (UFAP) warrants.
How Serious is Witness Tampering in Illinois?
A few months back, a Chicago businessman was found guilty of attempting to influence the testimony of a witness in his federal tax fraud case. The man was originally indicted in 2018 on federal tax charges, but later, a superseding indictment added counts of witness tampering and contempt of court. Allegedly, the man gave a witness - a woman who provided bookkeeping and accounting services for his companies - a copy of her prior testimony with handwritten notes that changed, supplemented, or "scripted" her answers.
At that time, his bond was revoked, and he was remanded into federal custody until his trial. Witness tampering is a form of obstruction of justice, which is any act that interferes with the judicial process. Lying to investigators, witness tampering, and destroying evidence of a crime can all fall under obstruction of justice. These are very serious charges with severe penalties. If you have been charged with witness tampering or another type of obstruction of justice, it is important that you speak to an experienced Geneva, IL criminal defense attorney.
What Should You Do if Falsely Accused of a Sex Crime?
Two Chicago Catholic priests are currently under investigation for child sexual abuse. The priests served at multiple churches in the Chicago area. The allegation against one of the priests is from 30 years ago when he was assigned to a North Lawndale neighborhood parish. The allegation against the other priest is from 40 years ago when he was assigned to a Belmont Cragin parish.
Both priests have agreed to step away from the ministry while the investigation is ongoing, and both have unequivocally denied the allegations. A 2023 Chicago Tribune article reported that while rare, false allegations against priests do occur. False allegations of sexual abuse not only hurt the innocent but also damage the credibility of actual victims who come forward. If you are facing allegations of a sex crime, the sooner you speak to a Chicago, IL, criminal defense attorney, the better the outcome of your charges is likely to be.
Why is Racketeering Often Used to Overcharge Defendants?
A few years ago, there was a high-profile case involving a former music superstar who was sentenced to thirty years in prison for sex trafficking and racketeering. At first glance, the two crimes appear to have little in common, but a deeper dive reveals why they might be charged together.
It is not uncommon for prosecutors to overcharge or add charges for other crimes once a person has been charged with one criminal offense. Being convicted of these additional charges can add many years to a potential prison sentence.
It is important to have an experienced Rolling Meadows, IL criminal defense attorney who can determine when charges are unwarranted while aggressively defending the allegations. The potential penalties escalate significantly when racketeering is added to the original criminal charge.
Why Do Prosecutors Overcharge?
Many prosecutors look at the current crime statistics and feel compelled to secure a conviction, regardless of the tactics this might require – especially when the evidence for a specific crime is not as strong as they might wish. When multiple charges are included, it increases the likelihood that at least one of the charges will "stick." Prosecutors may also overcharge as a method of "sending a message" to others, discouraging them from engaging in similar illegal activities.
Get Out of Jail Free Card for Chicago White Collar Offenses?
Federal prosecutors in Chicago are offering an unusual proposal. Beginning in late September, anyone who has "participated in and has knowledge of otherwise unknown criminal wrongdoing by virtue of their employment" has six months to come forward to tell federal prosecutors what they know without fear of prosecution. Any person working in the private sector or for a local, state, or federal governmental agency can take advantage of this "get out of jail free card." The benefit is clear – non-prosecution in exchange for ongoing assistance.
It must be noted that those who want to take advantage of this offer should be fully prepared to tell prosecutors everything. This offer will be largely for those who have committed lesser white-collar offenses, such as federal wire fraud or income tax fraud, rather than those who already have a criminal record or are already known to prosecutors as higher-level offenders. Officials want to be clear on the fact that this program is for non-violent offenders who have committed "traditional" white-collar crimes.
Is Intoxication a Defense Against Rape Charges in Illinois?
Rape, also referred to as sexual assault, is a sex crime that carries serious legal consequences in Illinois. A common influencing factor in rape cases is alcohol, with some studies showing that 30 percent of all sexual assaults and 75 percent of those on college campuses occur when the offender is intoxicated. This leads many defendants to wonder whether their intoxication can be a defense against a sexual assault charge given that the alcohol may have affected their judgment and perception. Some argue that the alcohol impacted their ability to register that the victim did not consent. However, intoxication is not always a valid defense against a rape charge. For more details or to discuss the specifics of your case, contact an experienced Illinois criminal defense attorney.
Can Intoxication Be a Valid Defense Against Rape Charges?
Sex becomes rape when one of the participants does not consent to it. Some who face rape charges argue they were under the influence of alcohol during the act, which led them to either not realize or care that the victim did not give consent. But when considering a rape case in which the defendant was intoxicated, the law usually differentiates between two types of intoxication:
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