• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Compliance Mitigation

Compliance Mitigation

Government Investigations / White Collar Crime

  • Start
  • Testimonials
  • Services
    • Investigations
    • Mitigation
    • White Collar
    • Reputation
    • Case Studies
    • Training
  • Contributors
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Government Investigations

You are here: Home / Government Investigations / Government Investigations

November 16, 2020 By Michael Santos

President Ronald Regan told us the nine most terrifying words in the English language: 

I’m with the government and I’m here to help.

President Ronald Reagan

If you’re a business owner, you know that nothing good will come from an interaction with a government investigator that is asking questions. People from the government will not approach you or your employees because they want to help.

Government investigators build careers by bringing people or businesses down. 

That’s why you should learn everything possible about government investigations at the soonest possible time—preferably before they begin.

Our team has worked with business owners that suffered because they did not learn about government investigations early. The more a business owner understands, the more precautions the owner can take.

Don’t get caught in the crosshairs of a government agency that takes an interest in your business.

How Would You Know if You’re Under a Government Investigation?

There may be several signs that could let you know that you’re the subject of a government investigation. First, a federal agent may try to talk to you or to someone that is related to your company. Sometimes, the agent will knock on a person’s door. Perhaps it is an FBI agent, a Secret Service agent, or an officer from any number of other federal law enforcement agencies. 

Another rather blatant sign is that someone from the government, including the Department of Justice, may let you know that you’re a target. They could send you a “target letter.” Below is a sample of a target letter that you never want to receive:

sample target letter

Rather than trying to connect with you directly, an attorney for the government may send you or your attorney a subpoena requesting documents and records.

Many people learn that they’re under investigation because federal agents may raid your place of business, or they may come to your house with a search warrant. If they pursue this approach, they may or may not seize all of your computers and records. You will know that an investigation has begun.

A friend, or an employee may tell you that they heard from the government, giving you insight into the investigation. The government agents may have asked questions about you or your business.

If you inquire about what happened, you should anticipate that the government will want to know what you asked. Your comments could later be used against you, possibly even leading to charges for obstruction of justice.

Where do Government Investigations Lead?

Sadly, many government investigations advance to hefty sanctions. Those sanctions can result in enormous fines. They can lead to injunctions that will block you from doing future business. In many cases, they can lead to criminal charges.

Thousands of cases brought by the Department of Justice each year begin as white-collar government investigations. Later, those investigations escalate, with charges for the following types of white-collar crimes:

  • Wire fraud
  • Mail fraud
  • Securities fraud
  • Tax Fraud
  • Federal Corrupt Practices Act
  • Money Laundering
  • Antitrust Violations
  • Obstruction of Justice

A civil investigation doesn’t have to lead to a criminal charge to devastate a company or an individual.

We have extensive experience working with people that faced government investigations. The result of those investigations led to devastating results. 

For example, consider results that followed for people that didn’t fully grasp how business decisions could lead to government investigations, and in many cases, federal prosecutions:

  • Violation of Sherman Antitrust Act: Judge sentences CEO to 40 months in prison
  • Violation of Stark Act: Judge sentences doctor to 60 months in prison
  • Violation of the Telemarketing Sales Rule: Judge levies $138-million fine, holding executives jointly and severally liable, imposes a lifetime earning limit of $5,000 per month, requiring executives to forfeit any additional income to FTC; requirement to turn over all assets valued at more than $2,500.
  • Violation of Securities Laws: Judge imposes $10 million fine, sentences CEO to prison for 15 months.
  • Violation of Excise Tax Laws: Judge sentences CEO to 17 years in prison.
  • Violation of Fairness in Advertising Laws: Judge finds CEO liable for $170-million fine, sentences CEO to prison for obstruction of justice.

If business leaders learned more about the relationship between business decisions, and the possibility for government investigations, they could make better decisions. For example:

  • They could implement policies to protect against such intrusions.
  • They could create systems to protect their business interests.
  • They could train their staff more effectively.

By not knowing the relationship between business decisions and government investigations, leaders lose millions of dollars. Sadly, in many cases, they lose their liberty.

Even President Trump had to pay $20 million to settle a government investigation into one of his former businesses, Trump University. People without his power went to federal prison with fraud convictions for similar conduct.

If you’re a business owner and you value your liberty, we encourage you to contact us to learn how we can help your organization avoid government investigations.

If any of the following bullet points apply to your business, we have a program to help:

  • Your business employs people that sells any product or service over the telephone.
  • Your business employs a system that collects automatic billing from consumers.
  • Your business uses email.
  • You have a website.
  • You use the Internet.
  • You use cellphones.
  • You use landline phones.
  • You receive mail.
  • Your business employs more than 25 people.
  • Your business employs fewer than 25 people.
  • Your business deals with people in foreign markets.
  • Your business deals with people in the United States.
  • Your business solicits clients through the U.S. Postal Service.
  • Your business contracts with the federal government.
  • Your business contracts with state governments.
  • Your pay taxes.
  • You don’t pay taxes.
  • You work with publicly traded companies.
  • You work with privately owned companies.
  • You practice medicine.
  • You sell anything at all.

Basically, if you work for a living, you’re vulnerable to government investigations. Protect your ass-ets. 

Contact us today to learn more about our compliance training programs. We’d much rather help you learn how to avoid a government investigation so we don’t have to help you prepare for sentencing or prison.

Was this post helpful?

Let us know if you liked the post. That’s the only way we can improve.

Filed Under: Government Investigations

Compliance Mitigation Can Help You:

  • Free: Subscribe to our YouTube channel to access more than 800 videos that will help you understand more about the journey ahead. Learn strategies to succeed.
  • Free: Subscribe to our iTunes podcast to listen and learn while you drive or exercise.
  • Books: Buy books for $25 (shipping included) to learn from strategies that empowered me while I climbed through 26 years in prison, allowing me to succeed upon release (Get free digital book with any paperback purchase).
  • Courses: Enroll in our self-directed, digital courses that will help you build mitigation strategies that lead to best outcomes through judicial proceedings, sentencing, and prepare you for a successful journey through prison ($97 to $297).
  • Consulting: Collaborate with our team of mitigation experts to engineer a pathway that will help you ($400 per hour, fully refundable if you choose it’s not right for you. Learn more about our process).

Sign up to receive more information and tools.

 

Primary Sidebar

Risk Mitigation

Qualify for Non-Prosecution Agreements by showing the story of your company’s journey, and yours..

Mitigate Risk

Compliance Case Studies

1. Non-Prosecution Agreements

2. Executive Summary: Investigations

3. Defrauding Investors: SEC

4. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

5. Theranos: FDA Rules

6. Dish Networks Fraud (FTC)

7. Kickbacks Schneider Electric

8. FINRA Rules and Compliance

9. HIPPA Violations

10. Case-Study Library

11. Deferred Prosecution Agreements

Free Trial

Free 30-day trial of our courses, including Compliance 101. Avoid government investigations.

Free Sample

Mitigation Case Studies

1. Mitigation Plan

2. Learn About PSR

3. Before Sentencing

4. Attorneys and Narratives

5. Tactics to Succeed

6. Federal Sentencing Guidelines

7. Aberrant Behavior

8. Diminished Capacity

9. Federal Judge’s Advice

10. Early Release

Free Consultation

Our mitigation experts will help you engineer a strategy for success at any stage in your journey.

Book Now

Keynote Speeches

1. Pioneer Industries

2. Silicon Valley

3. California Wellness

4. Tedx Talk

5. Teaching in Prison

6. University of Washington

7. UC Berkeley

8. Executive Summary: Investigations

9. Testimonials

10. Our Story

11. Our Deck

Blog

Our Most Recent Articles

Follow

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Compliance Mitigation - Logo
Prison Professors Story

Compliance Mitigation Story

See timeline that led to Compliance Mitigation and learn more about why you will grow stronger with the resources we provide

Learn More

Footer

Social

Follow along on social media.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

BUSINESS

Corporate Information
Business Model
W9 Blank PDF
Independent Contractor Agreement

Contact

Compliance Mitigation / Division of Earning Freedom
32565 Golden Lantern, Suite B1026
Dana Point, CA 92629
United States
Team@ComplianceMitigation.com

Earning Freedom Properties

Prison Professors
White Collar Advice
Michael Santos Personal

Navigation

  • Start
  • Testimonials
  • Store
  • Mitigation
  • Contributors
  • Contact

Newsletter

Stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter.
Trustpilot

Copyright © 2023 · Compliance Mitigation (an Earning Freedom company) · Privacy Policy and Terms of Use