Case Results
Financial Crime Cases
$400K employee embezzlement from logistics company
Dallas county man charged in Memphis federal court because victim employer’s business is in Memphis. Client was charged with financial crime case of embezzling more than $400,000 from his employer by pocketing paychecks from fake and fraudulent employee files. After plea negotiations, client disputed the loss amount owed to employer but pled guilty to the offense and cooperated with federal agents. At the sentencing hearing, United States Probation recommended a sentence range of imprisonment between 27-33 months and restitution or repayment for the loss to employer of $420,019.23. Nicole Knox argued for a below-guidelines sentence and reduced restitution or repayment amount. Memphis federal judge agreed with the defense and ordered client to serve 12 months in prison and reduced to $387,237.19.
Result: Significantly below-guidelines sentence and restitution reduced by more than $30,000
Embezzled funds from Plano ISD
Challenged federal prosecutor to prove loss amount in embezzlement case. Plano woman charged with federal financial crime case of Federal Program Theft for embezzling more than $140,000 from Plano ISD during her employment. After plea negotiations, client pled guilty to charges but disputed calculation of loss amount. During hearing to prove actual loss amount, Nicole Knox cross-examined Plano ISD auditor and Assistant Superintendent.
Result: Federal judge agreed prosecutor could not prove total loss amount. Restitution and loss reduced to $90,000.
Employee embezzled from car dealership employer
Dallas county woman indicted for financial crime case of theft for embezzling more than $18,000 from her employer, a local car dealership. After plea negotiations, client pled guilty to charges for a sentence of 2 years deferred probation but disputed that she owed more than $18,000 to repay employer for loss. During hearing to prove restitution or repayment amount, the State could only prove $1,000 owed to victim employer.
Result: Restitution reduced to $1,000, 2 years deferred probation.
Federal Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Irving woman indicted with 24 co-defendants for federal financial crime case of conspiracy to commit bank fraud defrauding J.P. Morgan Chase in scheme involving forged checks on bank accounts with insufficient funds. After plea negotiations, client pled guilty in a plea agreement for three months time-served.
Result: Federal judge assessed below-guidelines sentence for three months time-served pursuant to binding plea agreement.
Bulk Cash Smuggling
Richardson man indicted for federal financial crime case of Bulk Cash Smuggling for hiding more than $10,000 cash back to United States after overseas trip. Federal judge assessed below-guidelines sentence of probation pursuant to binding plea agreement. Sentenced to one-year probation.
Result: Below-guidelines sentence, minimum federal sentence one-year probation