Palm Beach County Woman Asks For Immunity To Testify Against Co-Defendant In Financial Crime
The best-case scenario in a criminal case is if prosecutors agree to drop the charges against you, but they only do that if they become convinced that it is not possible to convict you or if you agree to cooperate with the state in an ongoing criminal case. In the former scenario, it is usually because the defense lawyer has successfully argued that a substantial part of the prosecution’s evidence against the defendant is inadmissible in court because the state obtained it unlawfully. This might happen if police did not recite the Miranda warnings before questioning the defendant or if they searched the defendant’s property without a warrant. In the former scenario, the defendant might agree to testify against an alleged co-conspirator on the witness stand or act as an informant, perhaps even wearing a recording device, to help the state collect additional evidence against other defendants. Not every defendant who cooperates with authorities gets complete immunity from prosecution. In most cases, your cooperation gets the state to reduce your charges but not drop them completely, and usually only if you agree to plead guilty, which means serving a sentence, possibly even involving prison time, and getting a conviction on your record. Therefore, if you are under investigation for a financial crime conspiracy, you should only make decisions about plea deals or cooperation with authorities with the help of a Tampa white collar crime lawyer.
The World’s Sweetest Plea Deal?
Lynsey Mae Fuller is under investigation for conspiracy for bank fraud, but she has requested immunity from prosecution if she agrees to cooperate with prosecutors in the case against others accused of participating in the scheme. In September 2023, Fuller and Leigh-Ann Martinez, who both live in Boca Raton, went to a bank branch in Hallandale and each opened a bank account. In the ensuing weeks, both accounts received deposits of approximately $400,000, and the account holders withdrew most of the money, whether in cash or in the form of transfers to business accounts.
In December 2023, police asked to speak to Fuller and Martinez about the accounts and the transactions. No information is available about how Martinez responded. As for Fuller, investigators showed her records of phone calls she had made to Martinez and to a Fort Lauderdale man whom the WPBF news website described as having a prior criminal record. The report did not indicate the man’s name or his current or previous criminal charges. The investigators said that they believe that Fuller knew that she was participating in a financial crime and that the transactions or their stated purposes were fraudulent. Fuller told her lawyer that she would only provide information to law enforcement if they would offer her immunity from prosecution. Even if they do not agree, she has the right to refuse to answer questions by invoking the Fifth Amendment.
Contact Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Bryant Scriven
A criminal defense lawyer can help you exercise your rights if you are facing criminal charges for financial crime conspiracy. Contact Scriven Law in Tampa, Florida to schedule a consultation.
Source:
wpbf.com/article/boca-raton-bank-fraud-scheme-arrests/62894499
