The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently took a unique turn in their charge to seek justice for Ray Epps, a corporate executive who was involved in an alleged financial fraud scheme.
Back in 2017, the DOJ declined to prosecute Mr. Epps after an investigation revealed insufficient evidence of wrongdoing. However, that decision has been reversed and the agency is now pursuing a full criminal indictment against him.
Thus, the DOJ is charging Mr. Epps with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and three counts of mail fraud, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If found guilty, he could face up to 60 years in federal prison.
At the heart of the case is an offshore financing scheme meant to hide funds from the government, which was allegedly orchestrated by Mr. Epps. During the previous trial, the government argued that Mr. Epps had profited from the misappropriated dollars, pocketing millions of dollars that otherwise would have gone to the government.
The case has been closely watched by individuals and media outlets from around the world. While the DOJ has changed its course of action, it has now set the stage for a federal criminal prosecution.
Should the trial court determine that the government has sufficient evidence to proceed, Ray Epps could find himself locked away for decades. It remains to be seen if his defense team will be able to establish a reasonable doubt in the government’s case, or if he will have to serve time for his alleged actions.
Regardless, the DOJ’s decision to pursue criminal charges is a stark reminder of the government’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting individuals suspected of white-collar crimes. Although the DOJ declined to prosecute Mr. Epps in 2017, the agency’s current course of action signals a strong desire to seek justice in this case.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently took a unique turn in their charge to seek justice for Ray Epps, a corporate executive who was involved in an alleged financial fraud scheme.
Back in 2017, the DOJ declined to prosecute Mr. Epps after an investigation revealed insufficient evidence of wrongdoing. However, that decision has been reversed and the agency is now pursuing a full criminal indictment against him.
Thus, the DOJ is charging Mr. Epps with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and three counts of mail fraud, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If found guilty, he could face up to 60 years in federal prison.
At the heart of the case is an offshore financing scheme meant to hide funds from the government, which was allegedly orchestrated by Mr. Epps. During the previous trial, the government argued that Mr. Epps had profited from the misappropriated dollars, pocketing millions of dollars that otherwise would have gone to the government.
The case has been closely watched by individuals and media outlets from around the world. While the DOJ has changed its course of action, it has now set the stage for a federal criminal prosecution.
Should the trial court determine that the government has sufficient evidence to proceed, Ray Epps could find himself locked away for decades. It remains to be seen if his defense team will be able to establish a reasonable doubt in the government’s case, or if he will have to serve time for his alleged actions.
Regardless, the DOJ’s decision to pursue criminal charges is a stark reminder of the government’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting individuals suspected of white-collar crimes. Although the DOJ declined to prosecute Mr. Epps in 2017, the agency’s current course of action signals a strong desire to seek justice in this case.
