Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog

Under the False Claims Act, individuals or entities can be held liable for knowingly submitting false or fraudulent claims for payment to the government. The FCA allows private individuals, known as “whistleblowers” or “relators,” to file lawsuits on behalf of the government and share in any monetary recovery. These lawsuits are known as qui tam…

David Bradford, the former Chief Operating Officer of Drive Planning LLC (“Drive Planning”), pled guilty last month to conspiracy to commit wire fraud arising from a multi-year Ponzi investment fraud case that defrauded investors out of millions of dollars. A SEC complaint was also filed against Jacqueline and Russell Todd Burkhalter. The SEC complaint details…

President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. This will now expand enforcement tools and give the government additional powers to combat illegal trafficking of the fentanyl. What will this mean to clients charged with trafficking or possessing fentanyl? This concept has been debated for a…

I. How Does a Case Get to Law Enforcement? The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline is a centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. Facebook/Meta, Google, Instagram, Snapchat, Yahoo, Microsoft, X, etc are required to report suspected CSAM detected on their platforms. These providers make reports of suspected online…

I. What charges can the government use to allege money laundering? 18 U.S.C. § 1956: This is for laundering monetary instruments and carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the funds involved, whichever is greater 18 U.S.C. § 1957: This applies…

If you’ve been accused of theft or a financial crime in Georgia, understanding the law is the first step toward protecting yourself. Theft and fraud charges can carry serious penalties, and a conviction can impact your job, reputation, and freedom. Here’s what you should know about how Georgia defines, classifies, and prosecutes theft-related offenses. Under O.C.G.A.…

Nursing License Issues? Conaway & Strickler, PC has over 3 decades of experience assisting nurses whose professional licenses are threatened by allegations of misconduct. If you receive a notification from the Board about an issue with your license, contact us immediately. We are here to help. Here are a few situations that Conaway & Strickler,…

Various professionals must have a valid, active license. When there are allegations of an arrest, substance abuse issues, misconduct or compliance failures, this can lead to disciplinary actions. Understanding what is involved and knowing how to navigate this is crucial for any professional facing such challenges. Over the past three decades, Conaway & Strickler, PC…

As we enter the 8th month of 2025, it is clear that federal agencies have ramped up enforcement of federal crimes, leading to substantial financial penalties and lengthy prison sentences. Recently, the Department of Justice highlighted enforcement efforts that allegedly aimed at protecting  Americans from transnational fraud schemes.  Here are some of the cases discussed:…

The DOJ boasted their record-breaking 2025 healthcare fraud take down in a recent press release that we discussed more generally in another blog post. This post focuses on some of the specific actions taken by the government and highlights the trends across enforcement. DME Fraud Durable Medical Equipment (DME) fraud remains a cornerstone of federal…