Baton Rouge readers who have been accused of white collar crimes may be interested in knowing that, while these are serious charges, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from unfair or unlawful activity. If you’re charged with fraud, you may want to speak with an attorney; there are things you can do to defend yourself, protect your reputation, and make sure your home, work, and social lives are affected the least.
According to news from Jan. 5, one program that was intended to help homeless children in Baton Rouge is now being investigated by federal investigators. They are interested in finding out whether two residents running the program stole money that should have gone to the program or used it the way it was meant to be used. According to an internal audit done by the school system in 2009, over $150,000 had gone to the company located at the 3500 block of Evangeline Street, but the uniforms that were purchased couldn’t be accounted for by the auditors. Some of the uniforms, according to the auditors, were dirty and worn, and others weren’t the right color or style for the school system.
Now, the U.S. Attorney’s Office would like the Chief U.S. District Judge to issue an order that would require the 59-year-old man and 58-year-old woman running the company to produce their tax records and financial documents. With this, the auditors may be able to clear up the discrepancies. Federal attorneys believe that the documents would determine if there had been any frauds committed against the school and federal government.
Source: The Advocate, “Program to provide uniforms for homeless children investigated” Bill Lodge, Jan. 03, 2014