Are you looking for a fraud lawyer in New Hampshire?
At Becker Legal, we provide trusted fraud counsel for individuals and business owners throughout New Hampshire.
If you are under investigation or have been charged with fraud in New Hampshire, the investigation began well before you learned of it. Investigators gather records, interview witnesses, and often contact the person under suspicion before any charge is filed. The first task for our New Hampshire fraud lawyer is to establish how far the investigation has progressed and what has already been said to the people conducting it.
Becker Legal has defended fraud and other financial charges in New Hampshire for 8 years, in the state courts and in the U.S. District Court. We charge flat fees, with payment arrangements available. Call to arrange a consultation about your matter.
Fraud Lawyer New Hampshire
A fraud attorney represents people accused of obtaining money, property, or a benefit through deception. The category is broad. It includes bad checks written to landlords, misstatements on benefits applications, and multi-year investment schemes. What these cases share is that the state must prove intent to deceive, and intent is rarely established by a single document.
Fraud is also one of the offenses most likely to be prosecuted federally. In fiscal year 2024, 18 of the 118 people sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire were convicted of fraud, theft, or embezzlement offenses, according to federal sentencing data published by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. A fraud lawyer in New Hampshire has to be prepared for either forum, because the choice of court is made by prosecutors, not by the accused.
Types of Fraud Cases We Handle in New Hampshire
Fraud charges in New Hampshire are brought under a number of different statutes depending on what was allegedly taken and how. Our New Hampshire fraud attorneys handle the following categories, in state court and in federal court.
- Theft. Theft by deception is the most common fraud charge in the state. It covers obtaining property by creating or reinforcing a false impression, and the classification depends on the value involved.
- Forgery. Signing another person’s name, altering a document, or creating a false one with intent to deceive is charged as forgery. These cases frequently involve checks, deeds, and contracts.
- Credit and debit card fraud. Using a card, card number, or account without authorization, or with knowledge that it was revoked or expired, is charged separately from theft and often involves electronic records from the issuer.
- Identity fraud. Using another person’s identifying information to obtain credit, benefits, or goods. These cases depend heavily on digital evidence and on proving who actually used the information.
- Insurance fraud. Misrepresenting facts in an insurance claim or application, whether for auto, property, health, or workers’ compensation coverage. Insurers have investigative units, and their files often form the basis of the charge.
- Public assistance fraud. Obtaining benefits such as food assistance, unemployment compensation, or Medicaid through false statements or omissions. State agencies refer these cases for prosecution after their own review.
- Securities and investment fraud. Misrepresentations to investors, unregistered offerings, and related conduct. These cases may be handled by state regulators, the Attorney General, or federal authorities.
- Wire and mail fraud. Federal charges that apply when a scheme to defraud uses interstate communications or the mail. They are frequently added to other counts and carry substantial penalties.
Why Choose Becker Legal as my Fraud Lawyer in New Hampshire?
Admitted in State and Federal Court
Leif Becker is admitted to practice in New Hampshire and Maine, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, and in the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Fraud is the area of criminal practice where that federal admission matters most. Cases that begin as state investigations are sometimes referred to federal prosecutors, and a case that starts in federal court follows different procedural rules, different sentencing guidelines, and a different timeline. Mr. Becker can represent a client in whichever forum the case lands, and through an appeal if one becomes necessary.
Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation in One Practice
The lawyer who handles your fraud charge is the same criminal defense lawyer in New Hampshire who handles the civil litigation side of our practice, and fraud allegations frequently produce both. An employer, a business partner, or an insurer may file a civil claim for the same conduct the state is prosecuting, and statements made in one case can be used in the other. We coordinate the two so that admissions made in the civil matter are not handed to the prosecution. Clients who have brought us financial charges have described how that coordination worked for them.
We charge flat fees for criminal defense, with payment arrangements available, so the cost of representation is known before the work begins.
Understanding Fraud Cases
What Is The Fraud Case Timeline?
Fraud cases differ from most criminal matters in that the investigation usually precedes the arrest by a considerable margin. Police departments, state agencies, insurers, and federal investigators build these cases from records first. A person may receive a request for an interview, a subpoena for documents, or a target letter long before a charge is filed. What is said and produced during that period often determines the shape of the case.
Once charges are filed, the case proceeds through arraignment, discovery, and motions in the circuit court district division for misdemeanors or the superior court for felonies. Federal cases proceed through indictment and arraignment in the U.S. District Court in Concord. Discovery in fraud cases is typically voluminous, consisting of bank records, emails, and transaction histories, and reviewing it takes time. Resolution comes through dismissal, a negotiated agreement that often includes restitution, or trial. State misdemeanor cases may conclude within several months. Felony and federal cases commonly take a year or more.
What Are Important Aspects of a Fraud Case?
Several features distinguish fraud cases from other criminal charges, and each affects how the defense is built.
- The pre-charge period. An investigator’s request to “clear something up” is not a casual conversation. Anyone contacted about a financial matter should consult counsel before responding, because early statements are difficult to retract.
- Intent. Every fraud charge requires proof that the accused intended to deceive. Mistakes, misunderstandings, disputed debts, and poor recordkeeping are not fraud, and the distinction is where many of these cases are won.
- The volume of records. The state’s case is built on documents, and so is the defense. We review the full record rather than the portion the prosecution selected, and we obtain the records the investigation did not.
- Digital evidence. Phones, email accounts, and cloud records are routinely seized in fraud investigations. Whether they were seized lawfully is a question worth asking, since the rules on smartphone searches and other electronic evidence are strict.
- Restitution and collateral consequences. Beyond any sentence, a fraud conviction usually carries a restitution order and can affect professional licenses, employment in financial or fiduciary roles, and immigration status.
Charges, Penalties, and Defense Strategies for Fraud Cases
New Hampshire classifies most fraud offenses by the value of what was obtained or attempted, with higher values charged as felonies. Some offenses, such as forgery of certain instruments, are felonies regardless of amount. Federal fraud statutes carry their own penalty ranges and are governed by federal sentencing guidelines, which weigh the loss amount heavily. Every conviction, state or federal, produces a record that follows the person into employment, licensing, and credit.
Defense strategies in fraud cases fall into a few recognizable groups.
- Challenging intent, by showing that the conduct was a mistake, a legitimate business decision, or a civil dispute that the state has recharacterized as a crime
- Challenging the evidence, including how records were obtained, whether the accounting is accurate, and whether the loss figure the prosecution claims is supported
- Challenging the identification, particularly in identity and card fraud cases where the question is who actually used the account
- Negotiating the resolution, where restitution, a reduced charge, or a favorable sentencing recommendation may serve the client better than trial
Which strategy applies depends on the file. White-collar defense draws on all of them, and an effective defense often takes a combination of approaches.
What Should You Bring to Your Fraud Consultation?
If you have not yet been charged, bring whatever contact you have had from investigators. If you have been charged, bring the court documents.
- Any letter, subpoena, or request for records from a police department, state agency, insurer, or federal office
- The complaint or indictment and any bail or release conditions
- Business records, contracts, invoices, or account statements related to the transactions in question
- Correspondence with the other party, including emails and messages
- Any civil complaint or demand letter you have received about the same matter
We will review the documents, discuss what has already been communicated to investigators, and explain where the matter stands procedurally. Our New Hampshire fraud attorney will also address whether a civil inquiry becomes criminal in your situation and what steps protect you in the meantime.
New Hampshire Courthouses and Local Criminal Justice Resources
State fraud charges are heard in the circuit court district division or the county superior court, depending on classification. Federal charges are heard in Concord. Several state agencies investigate fraud before it reaches a prosecutor.
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, where federal fraud prosecutions are heard.
- State court structure explained by the Judicial Branch, including which courts hear misdemeanors and felonies.
- Consumer Protection Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office, which investigates deceptive business practices and prosecutes financial exploitation cases.
- Bureau of Securities Regulation at the Secretary of State’s Office, which investigates investment fraud and brings enforcement actions.
These resources are listed for reference only. Becker Legal is not affiliated with these agencies and does not endorse any outside organization.
Reach Out to Becker Legal to Schedule a Consultation
The most valuable time in a fraud case is often before a charge is filed, when the decision about what to say and what to produce is still yours. Our New Hampshire fraud lawyers work on flat fees, with payment arrangements available. When you contact us, we will schedule a time to review the investigation or the charge and advise you on the immediate next steps. We respond to new inquiries promptly and can meet before a scheduled interview or deadline when needed. Contact us to schedule a consultation about your fraud matter. Becker Legal represents clients in state and federal court throughout New Hampshire.