Drones and the Fourth Amendment: A Bird’s Eye View
October 15, 2024
by Ashley Adams and Chase Wortham The Scottsdale Police Department’s recent decision to deploy drones in response to crime scenes marks a significant shift in law enforcement tactics, utilizing technology to enhance public safety. Drones offer several advantages, including rapid response times, the ability to survey large areas quickly, and the potential to capture critical evidence in real-time. This approach can increase police efficiency, as…
Cryptocurrency Scams in 2024
July 1, 2024
Cryptocurrency is a form of digital currency existing only electronically and stored in a digital wallet, usually protected by a password. Cryptocurrency and traditional currency are different because cryptocurrency values are constantly fluctuating, and cryptocurrency is not insured by any government. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has cited three reasons why they believe cryptocurrency appeals to scammers: 1. Cryptocurrency transfers are non-reversible. 2. There is…
DOJ’s White Collar Crime Priorities for 2024
April 2, 2024
At the American Bar Association’s 39th National Institute on White Collar Crime, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco addressed the DOJ’s priorities for this year. These priorities are: Continuing to execute DOJ’s core strategies. Instituting a carrot-and-sticks approach to incentivize reporting wrongdoing. Designing and implementing a whistleblower rewards program. Addressing the rise of AI. The DOJ is continuing to execute its core strategies: investing significant resources…
For Goodness Sake, Drink Responsibly!
December 15, 2023
‘Tis the season to be jolly, but let’s not forget that holiday festivities come with a side of responsibility! As the snowflakes fall and the mistletoe hangs, it’s crucial to keep an eye on your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) to ensure that your merriment doesn’t turn into a legal headache. Arizona has some of the harshest DUI laws in the country. Most notably, DUIs in…
Sober living crackdown sparks local backlash (Mesa)
October 3, 2023
Ashley Adams spoke with reporters at the East Valley Tribune about the latest AHCCCS suspensions and the continuing challenges patients are facing in getting access to care. Click here for the article.
AHCCCS CAF Suspensions-the biggest scandal in Arizona, or did AHCCCS make its own bed?
August 21, 2023
AHCCCS, Arizona’s State Medicaid Program, has suspended almost 220 behavioral health providers since January 1, 2023. The peak was likely reached on May 15th, 2023, when 101 providers were cut off simultaneously. These suspended entities had one thing in common: providing outpatient behavioral health services to Native Americans enrolled in the American Indian Health Program (AIHP). Prior to May 1, 2023, requirements to become…
Sealing Criminal Records in Arizona
January 30, 2023
On December 31, 2022, Arizona began allowing qualified individuals with criminal records to petition (a formal request made to a court) to have these records sealed pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-911. As a preliminary matter, it is important that you understand the difference between expungement and sealing: Expungement: The permanent removal of a criminal record. This prevents the public, courts, and law enforcement agencies from accessing these records. Essentially,…
Reflecting on 2022…
December 29, 2022
As each year comes to a close, we at AAPLC try to sit down, and reflect upon what went well, how we need to improve, and what we need to change. 2022 was a difficult year for me, and my family, on many fronts. Introspection, I have learned, has no end. Acknowledging the good things in life, however, has great power, and as Eckhart Tolle noted, “is the…
Opening Statements: Get your FLO JO on! (An Excerpt from Ashley’s “Girls Just Wanna do Trials” Blog)
November 17, 2022
I ran track in high school. Coach Mitchell consistently tried to convince me to become a “middle distance runner” which meant competing in the 880 and the mile run. I was WAY too lazy for that. In addition, I did not want to wake up at 5 am, before school, run five miles, and go to class with wet hair in 20-degree weather mixed in…
Stories From the Frontlines of Justice: From Prosecution to Defense
July 15, 2022
I am very honored that my long time-colleague and friend and top notch criminal defense attorney Doug Passon, invited me as a guest on his new podcast, “Set for Sentencing.” As Doug notes: “In Set for Sentencing, I present cutting edge resources, world-class experts, and the straight scoop on our often dysfunctional system — all in service to one goal — to bring more more…
ESG, Greenwashing, and the Department of Justice
April 29, 2022
The first time I heard that the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) were forming tasks forces related to “ESG”, I assumed that it must involve some kind of weight loss herbal supplement. (Sounds like HCG, and I am always looking for the latest weight loss trend…?) Not quite. What is ESG, anyway? ESG is a term to describe a system…
Catching the Kleptocrats
March 21, 2022
The Justice Department announced on March 4, 2022, the creation of the task force, “KleptoCapture,” to go after billionaire oligarchs who have aided President Vladimir V. Putin in his invasion of Ukraine. The task force will target people and companies that are trying to evade anti-money laundering laws, hide their identities from financial institutions, and use cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions and launder money. President Biden…
Happy New Year!
January 5, 2022
Maddie at the DFA Ball Congratulations, Maddie on all of your hard work adding up to this final event! You looked beautiful and we are so proud of the young woman you have become!
Judge Coury ruled that the section of HB 2810 which requires a defendant to be convicted before his property can be forfeited is procedural in nature and thus applies to pending cases.
November 9, 2021
Recently, in one of our pending cases, the Honorable Christopher Coury ruled that portions HB 2810, which effectively repealed Arizona’s Forfeitures laws, is retroactive. HB 2810 took effect on September 30, 2021.Under Arizona law, statutes are not retroactive unless expressly declared in a statute itself. A.R.S. § 1-244. Statutory changes in procedures may be applied to proceedings already pending, unless the statute affects or impairs…
The Time to be Grateful
December 7, 2021
THE TIME TO BE GRATEFUL It’s that time of year again! Amidst the hustle and bustle of working full time, decorating, wrapping, baking, traveling, and spending way too much money shopping online, I always like to pause for a moment, and reflect on the year that has gone by. COVID-19 changed all of our lives in so many ways. I think of my brother…
Law, Order, And Giving Back With Ashley Adams
November 14, 2021
Criminal justice and the justice system are often a hot topic. Lawyers are always being asked how they can defend those who have done something wrong, and the answer isn’t always easy. But much of the time in court many underlying factors such as background aren’t considered. Today, the world is constantly changing and so is the field of criminal justice. As things evolve, the…
Two Businessmen Indicted for seeking PPP funds for restaurants which had closed in 2018
May 6, 2020
Two businessmen have been charged with defrauding the federal relief program meant to help small businesses pay their employees during the pandemic, U.S. Department of Justice officials announced Tuesday. According to prosecutors, David A. Staveley, 52, of Massachusetts and David Butziger, 51, of Rhode Island lied on bank applications for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program. The $649 billion relief measure is intended to keep businesses afloat…
Department of Justice and Local Law Enforcement Team up to Combat COVID Fraud
April 15, 2020
In a March 16, 2020, Memorandum to all U.S. Attorneys, Attorney General William Barr announced that DOJ will prioritize the investigation and prosecution of coronavirus-related fraud schemes. Attorney General Barr directed U.S. Attorneys to appoint a “Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator” in each district, responsible for coordinating enforcement and conducting public outreach and awareness. This Coordinator is to also establish a national system for whistleblowers to report suspected…
How Prioritizing Home Confinement During COVID-19 Impacts You
April 15, 2020
COVID-19 has upended many societal arrangements in the weeks that it has impacted our nation and the months that is has impacted our world. One of those ways is how Arizona prisoners are housed in jails or prisons and whether or not the continued presence of some or all inmates at a particular location could contribute to the spread of COVID-19. As such, the Attorney…
Top 5 White Collar Crimes
October 3, 2019
You have landed here because you are interested in White Collar Crime. Below we outline and define five common types of white collar crime. Our, Scottsdale law firm, Adams & Associates PLC represents individuals concerned with any of them. Fraud Money Laundering Embezzlement Insider Trading Bribery Below are definitions of each of these types of white collar crime: Fraud Self-representation with wrongful deception that is…
Labor Day And DUI Safety
August 29, 2019
Labor Day is a yearly celebration of the hard work Americans have contributed to our nation. The day is a cause for relaxing, enjoying the cool weather, and for many, drinking. In between the celebration, though, Labor Day is the fourth deadliest holiday for drunk driving. What does the law say? In Arizona, you can be arrested with a blood-alcohol content of any higher than…
HHS Issues Final Health Care Workers Rule Fulfilling Trumps Promise Of “Conscience And Religious Liberty”
August 15, 2019
America is the home of the free, where citizens are able to exercise a broad range of First Amendment Rights. However, what happens when health, safety, and ethics collide with religious beliefs? HHS’s new rule puts into question whether health care workers should be allowed to put their personal beliefs above patient care. Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) issued…
Does Google Have Trust Issues?
July 29, 2019
Google is the quintessential search tool of this era, delivering vast amounts of information in just seconds at the press of a button. However, this tech giant is not just as a search engine. Its dominance in other industries, such as e-mail, cloud computing, software, and advertising, to name a few, has led to a governmental investigation to ensure Google is compliant with antitrust regulations….
Healthcare: Fraud in the U.S.
July 22, 2019
Medicare and Medicaid are designed to help people pay for medical care, but they are often targets for fraud. Just earlier this year, a subsidiary of Acadia Healthcare, Co. settled for $17 million in a case against West Virginia involving Medicaid fraud. The company had tests performed by a laboratory but billed Medicaid directly for far more than the tests cost. Such incidences are not…
Dream Big Like Our Founding Fathers
July 15, 2019
As we celebrate our Nation’s birthday on the Fourth of July, it always reminds me of the incredible imagination, dreams and vision our Founding Fathers must have had. They had the incredible foresight to create three branches of government that would act as checks and balances on the others. They initiated the Revolutionary War, and declared our independence. Thereafter, behind locked doors, and in secret,…
Countering Counterfeit Money
June 24, 2019
Harriet Tubman, a former slave who became one of America’s most well-known abolitionists, was supposed to take the place of President Andrew Jackson on the twenty dollar bill in 2020. The switch was part of a celebration of 100 years of women’s suffrage. However, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced on May 22, 2019, that redesigning the bill has been delayed to at least 2026. He…
Johnson & Johnson on Trial for Deceptive Marketing: A New Battle in the War on Drugs
June 11, 2019
Over 47,000 people died from opioid overdoses in 2017 — more than 130 people meet the same fate every day in the United States alone. Opioids act on the nervous system to relieve pain and thus are often prescribed to patients who have injuries or are recovering from surgery. Common prescriptions opioids are fentanyl, oxycodone, and morphine, among several others. However, opioids cause euphoric, highly…
Pushing Back Against the “Blue” FLU (Financial Litigation Units)
April 30, 2019
United States’ Attorney’s Offices (“USAO”) across the country, are becoming increasingly aggressive in enforcing restitution orders, and civil judgments. In the past, USAO Financial Litigation Units (“FLU”) typically did not go after Defendants’ homes, retirement funds, and children’s college savings accounts. That has changed. Many lawyers may not be aware that certain assets which are protected under various state Homestead Act exemptions are not protected…
The Fine Line Between Gifts and Bribes
April 1, 2019
Sports events, entertainment and gifts have always been used to leverage business relationships, but when does a ‘gift’ cross the line into bribe territory? The premise of giving gifts is an ancient way to express gratitude, appreciation and love. Giving in itself is fairly innocuous and it is based upon the philosophy of reciprocity which is commonly articulated by phrases such as “what goes around comes around”…
Is it Money Laundering or an Honest Mistake? You Might Be Surprised to Find Out
April 1, 2019
Money laundering is simply the ‘cleaning’ or disguising of the origins of the proceeds of crime. It can be committed by someone with their own proceeds (self laundering) or by someone handling someone else’s proceeds. Money laundering schemes range from the simple through to the sophisticated and may involve chains of companies and offshore accounts. There are three types of Money Laundering: Placement – the…
I’ve Been Accused of Embezzlement, Now What?
April 1, 2019
Whether you worked for a company for decades or only a short time, you probably earned some respect among your employers and co-workers. Because your boss was busy attending to other issues in the business, he or she entrusted the accounts to you, perhaps based on your resume or simply because of your reputation in the community. It may have been challenging to handle the…
Don’t Sign on the Dotted Line Until You Read This! Forgery in Arizona is on the Rise
March 7, 2019
Forgery in Arizona Forgery is a fraud crime and is committed when a person creates or alters a writing so that it is false with the intent to defraud. Under Arizona law, forgery occurs when a person, with intent to defraud, “falsely makes, completes or alters a written instrument,” or “knowingly possesses a forged instrument,” or offers a forged instrument (whether it is accepted or not). A.R.S. §13-2002(A)….
What You Need to Know About ‘Business Email Compromise’ Schemes
March 7, 2019
What is a “Business Email Compromise” Scheme? A Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme is a cyber-enabled financial fraud scheme, in which a compromised email account is used to facilitate a fraudulent financial transaction. In a BEC scheme transaction, the email owner believes the transaction to be legitimate, but the money is re-routed to the perpetrator of the scheme. BEC schemes can be carried out in…
Ding, Dong! Could Civil Forfeiture Be Dead?
March 7, 2019
Ding Dong! Could the Witch (Civil Forfeiture) be dead? In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in Timbs v. Indiana, 138 S.Ct 2650 (June 18, 2018), to decide whether the Excessive Fines Clause applies to state civil forfeiture matters. Timbs was forced to forfeit his $40,000 Land Rover in a civil forfeiture matter to the State of Indiana, after he pled guilty to selling less than…
What is Procurement Fraud?
February 8, 2019
A quid pro quo, or something given or received for something else, is common in business. It is the equivalent of ‘you scratch my back and I will scratch yours.’ While there is generally nothing wrong with mutually beneficial business arrangements, a quid pro quo favor can amount to procurement fraud in certain instances. Procurement fraud occurs when a favor, payment, or other advantage is…
Medical Identity Theft
February 8, 2019
Identity theft is generally associated with financial transactions and financial fraud, but it can happen with regard to medical care, too. Medical identity theft occurs when: Someone uses another person’s name or health insurance information to get medical treatment or prescription drugs. Someone in a medical practice uses another person’s personal information to submit false claims for reimbursement to insurance companies or public health care…
Accused of Internet Sales Fraud in Phoenix
February 8, 2019
Crimes involving the internet are taken seriously by federal and state law enforcement and prosecutors. Specifically, Internet fraud crimes are heavily prosecuted. Internet fraud is the use of Internet services to defraud someone or otherwise take advantage of them. Internet sales fraud is a type of internet fraud that encompasses a variety of fraudulent activity. Internet sales fraud schemes may involve failure to deliver on…
Holiday Wishes from Adams & Associates
February 8, 2019
Ring in the Holiday Season! It’s that time of the year! Not only is November my birthday month, November marks the official Fall season here in Arizona. We can actually dust off those boots we got for Christmas last year, pull out our sweaters from the moth prevention plastic bins, and maybe wear them in the evening (because it’s still too hot during the day.) November is…
IN THE NEWS: Adams & Associates Named to 2019 Leading Lawyers by SoScottsdale Magazine
March 7, 2019
Adams & Associates is honored to be named among the 2019 Leading Lawyers in So Scottsdale Magazine. Read more in the March issue:
IN THE PRESS: Ashley D. Adams Featured in VoyagePhoenix Magazine
October 24, 2019
HOT OFF THE PRESSES!!! Congratulations to our Powerhouse Attorney, Ashley D. Adams on being published in VoyagePhoenix Magazine . Get to know the story behind the rise and success of Ashley Adams. CLICK HERE to read the entire article.
November Newsletter
November 12, 2019
Read our November Newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Adams & Associates, PLC. Click Here to read our November Newsletter. Also, join our subscribers list to get the latest news, updates and tips delivered directly in your inbox. Visit azwhitecollarcrime.com to learn more.
Adams & Associates, PLC Ranked In Annual 2020 “Best Law Firms”
December 23, 2019
We are heading into the New Year with wonderful news! — U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers named Adams & Associates, PLC in its annual 2020 “Best Law Firm” rankings. Our firm was recognized as a Tier 1 and Tier 3 firm in Scottsdale, Arizona in the Criminal Defense categories of both White-Collar Crime and General Practice. The Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”…
IN THE PRESS: Ashley & Friends Featured in the Arizona Republic
January 13, 2020
We are thrilled and excited that our Principal Attorney, Ashley D. Adams was recently featured in the Arizona Republic. When Ashley is not in the courtroom litigating, on her off time she gets to hang out with eight of her amazing friends. They recently “rolled in to the Arizona State Farm Stadium, to watch the vaunted matchup between quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield, back…
COVID-19 Readiness – March News
March 16, 2020
Read our March Newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Adams & Associates, PLC and how we are moving forward during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Click Here to read our March Newsletter. Also, join our subscribers list to get the latest news, updates and tips delivered directly in your inbox. Visit azwhitecollarcrime.com to learn more.
COVID-19 Arizona Fraud Task Force
April 16, 2020
Read our April Newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Adams & Associates, PLC and how Arizona recently created a COVID-19 Fraud Task Force. Click Here to read our April Newsletter. Also, join our subscribers list to get the latest news, updates and tips delivered directly in your inbox. Visit azwhitecollarcrime.com to learn more.
Apply the 4 H’s to your life in 2021!
January 14, 2021
Read our December Newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Adams & Associates, PLC and how to Apply the 4 H’s to your life in 2021. Click Here to read our December Newsletter. Also, join our subscribers list to get the latest news, updates and tips delivered directly in your inbox. Visit azwhitecollarcrime.com to learn more.
Civil Forfeiture Reform in Arizona Finally Becomes Reality
May 10, 2021
Civil forfeiture laws are powerful tools that allow states and the federal government to seize assets, both tainted, and untainted, without any kind of an adversarial hearing. Civil forfeiture defendants do not have the same protections that are afforded in a criminal case. They do not have the right to counsel, the presumption of innocence, nor must the state prove its claims beyond a reasonable…
Expunging Marijuana Convictions in Arizona
July 26, 2021
Expunging Marijuana Convictions in Arizona Not only did Proposition 207, legalize marijuana, it allows those with a qualifyingmarijuana conviction to petition the court for the expungement of their criminal record. See A.R.S. § 36-2862. The expungement portion of Prop 207 took effect this month, on July 12, 2021. Expungement is only available for three types of marijuana convictions: Possession, Consumption, or Transportation of Marijuana Those…
