Charges we defend
- Embezzlement: taking money or property that was trusted to you by an employer, client, or organization.
- Obtaining property by false pretenses: getting something of value through a false statement.
- Forgery and uttering: making or altering a document, or passing one you know is forged.
- Credit and debit card fraud: using a card or account number without permission.
- Identity theft: using another person’s identifying information to get money, credit, or goods.
- Federal fraud and money laundering: wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and moving money to hide where it came from, prosecuted in the Middle District of North Carolina.
How these cases usually begin
A financial case often starts quietly. An employer notices missing money. A bank flags transactions. An investigator calls and asks to talk. You may receive a subpoena for records, a target letter from federal prosecutors, or a visit from agents with a search warrant.
This early stage is when a lawyer can help the most. Before you meet with investigators, write a statement, sign a repayment agreement, or hand over records, talk to a lawyer. A well-meant explanation can become the State’s main evidence.
State or federal
Many financial crimes can be charged in North Carolina state court, in federal court, or both. Federal charges are more likely when the case involves banks, the mail, interstate wires, federal programs, or large numbers of people. Federal cases follow different rules, including the federal sentencing guidelines. Attorney Micah E. Huggins practices in Guilford County courts and in the Middle District of North Carolina.
Why these cases need careful work
Financial cases are built on documents: bank records, emails, spreadsheets, payroll, and computer logs. Investigators sometimes read a pattern as theft when it was an accounting error, a pay dispute, an authorized practice, or someone else’s act. Loss amounts are often overstated, and loss can drive both the charge and the sentence.
Restitution, civil lawsuits, professional license complaints, and immigration consequences may run alongside the criminal case. We plan for all of them from the start.
How we work
We investigate rather than process. We don’t accept the police report as fact. We read the records ourselves, trace the money, and test the State’s loss figures. When it helps, we work with an outside accountant. We tell clients the hard truth about the evidence and the options, and we prepare every case as though it is going to trial. Call us at (336) 281-2008 or request a consultation. Hablamos español.
This page is general information about North Carolina law, not legal advice. Every case is different, and no lawyer can promise a result.
Questions people ask us
Should I talk to investigators if I have done nothing wrong?
Talk to a lawyer first. Even honest explanations can be misunderstood or incomplete, and statements to federal agents can lead to separate charges if any part is called false. A lawyer can decide with you whether, when, and how to respond.
Will paying the money back make the charges go away?
Not by itself. Repayment can matter in negotiations and at sentencing, but it does not erase a crime, and a written repayment promise can be used as an admission. Talk to a lawyer before you offer or sign anything.
What is a target letter?
A target letter is a notice from federal prosecutors that you are a likely defendant in a grand jury investigation. It is a serious sign and a reason to contact a lawyer right away, before responding.
Can a white collar charge affect my professional license?
Yes. Many licensing boards treat financial crimes as crimes of dishonesty. Some require you to report a charge or conviction. Plan for the license issue from the start of the criminal case.