How to Report Criminal Fraud Intent
Having foreknowledge of a person's criminal intent to commit fraud is a serious position in which to find yourself. In fact, depending on local laws and the severity of the crime, failure to report your knowledge of the attempt to commit fraud may in and of itself be a crime. With so many different local, state and federal jurisdictions having law enforcement powers, it can be difficult to know which avenue to select to report the crime. It is important to know about the reporting methods that are available to you.
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Instructions
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Contact your local police jurisdiction as soon as possible if the criminal act is imminent. This is probably the most obvious step to thwart a potential crime. By contacting local authorities and documenting your effort to provide assistance, it will help make the case that you are not complicit in the crime itself.
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Consult with a criminal defense attorney. A criminal defense attorney should be familiar with the laws in your area governing the particular criminal action being considered. She should be able to provide you with advice on how to protect yourself from both a criminal and civil standpoint.
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Consider visiting with state officials such as the district attorney's office, state Bureau of Investigation, Department of Public Safety or state attorney general's office. This step may be especially necessary if the crime involves local-level officials or their relatives, misuse of public funds or other instances where contacting the local police either results in no action or cannot be made because of the sensitive nature of the matter.
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Contemplate contacting federal officials such as the U.S. attorney's office in your federal judicial district or the Federal Bureau of Investigation if the intended crime involves the abuse of federal funds or violations of federal statutes. A case involving the pilfering of federal money may qualify you to file a qui-tam whistle-blower suit, in which case you may be entitled to monetary awards for your work in exposing the theft of taxpayer money.
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Consider taking your case to a grand jury if all else fails. Grand juries can file charges against criminals through what is known as the indictment process. Depending on your state's laws, you may have the right to call for the creation of a grand jury through the petition process.You may also be allowed to appear before a currently impaneled grand jury to present your testimony and ask for an indictment.
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