Fraud Defense Attorney in Lake Charles, Louisiana

A Document, a Signature, a Transaction — and Now You’re Facing a Felony

Maybe it was a check that bounced when you thought there was money in the account. Maybe it was a signature on a document that wasn’t entirely yours to sign. Maybe it was an insurance claim, a loan application, or a business transaction that someone is now calling deceptive. Fraud charges in Louisiana rarely start with a dramatic moment — they start with paperwork, and they end with a felony indictment that can carry years at hard labor.

Fraud cases are different from most criminal charges because the evidence is almost always documentary — bank records, signed contracts, electronic transactions, insurance filings. That means these cases are built slowly, often over weeks or months of investigation, before an arrest ever happens. By the time you are charged, the State or a federal agency has frequently assembled a substantial paper trail.

I have defended fraud and financial crime cases at the 14th Judicial District Court for over 17 years. I know how these cases are investigated, where the intent element is vulnerable, and how to challenge the State’s documentary evidence. Fraud cases are won or lost on the details — and the details matter from the moment you are contacted by an investigator.

If you haven’t already spoken to an attorney, you’re already behind. Contact Colonna Law Firm now.

Fraud Offenses I Defend in Lake Charles

Louisiana’s fraud and financial crime statutes cover a wide range of conduct. The cases I handle at the 14th JDC include:

• Forgery (La. R.S. 14:70): falsifying a document or signature with intent to defraud; felony carrying up to 10 years and a $5,000 fine
• Issuing Worthless Checks (La. R.S. 14:71): writing a check knowing there are insufficient funds; classification and penalty based on the value of the check, ranging from misdemeanor to felony
• Credit Card Fraud (La. R.S. 14:70.4): unauthorized use of a credit card or card information; penalties based on value obtained
• Identity Theft (La. R.S. 14:67.16): using another person’s identifying information without authorization; carries up to 10 years depending on value obtained
• Insurance Fraud (La. R.S. 22:1924): making false statements in connection with an insurance claim or application; felony carrying up to 5 years and significant fines
• Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1344, § 1343): federal offenses involving fraudulent schemes against financial institutions or using electronic communications; carry up to 30 years for bank fraud and up to 20 years for wire fraud
• Mail Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341): federal offense involving fraudulent schemes carried out through the U.S. mail; carries up to 20 years

State vs. Federal Fraud Prosecution

Whether a fraud case is prosecuted in state court at the 14th JDC or in federal court at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana depends on the nature of the conduct and which agencies investigated it. Cases involving federally insured financial institutions, interstate wire transactions, or the U.S. mail frequently attract federal jurisdiction — and federal fraud cases carry their own sentencing guidelines, procedural rules, and significantly higher stakes than comparable state charges.

I evaluate the jurisdictional posture of every fraud case at the outset, because the defense strategy, the applicable law, and the sentencing exposure differ substantially between state and federal court. If federal agencies — the FBI, the Secret Service, or postal inspectors — have contacted you in connection with a fraud investigation, that is a signal the case may be heading toward federal court, and the response needs to account for that from the first conversation.

What the State Must Prove in a Fraud Case

Every fraud offense in Louisiana requires proof of intent to defraud — meaning the State must show the defendant knowingly engaged in deception for the purpose of obtaining something of value or causing harm. This intent element is almost always the central battleground in a fraud defense.

Common Defense Strategies

• Lack of intent to defraud — a mistake, a misunderstanding, or a good-faith belief in the legitimacy of a transaction defeats the intent element
• Authorization — if you had actual or apparent authority to sign, transact, or use the account or instrument in question, that defeats unauthorized use charges
• Insufficient evidence of knowledge — in worthless check and credit card fraud cases, the State must prove you knew of insufficient funds or lacked authorization at the time of the transaction
• Civil dispute mischaracterized as criminal — many fraud allegations arise from business or contractual disputes that are properly civil matters, not criminal fraud
• Challenging the documentary evidence — examining the chain of custody, authentication, and forensic accuracy of financial records and electronic evidence

I have handled fraud cases at the 14th JDC ranging from worthless check charges to complex multi-document forgery cases. I handle every case personally from the first consultation through trial or resolution.

Why Hire Jacob Colonna for a Fraud Charge in Lake Charles?

Nobody hires me when they’re having a great day. Fraud cases carry a particular kind of stigma — they are crimes of dishonesty that can end careers, destroy professional licenses, and follow a person permanently. These cases are also won or lost in the documentary details, which means the defense has to be just as meticulous as the investigation that built the case.

I have practiced at the 14th Judicial District Court in Calcasieu Parish for more than 17 years, and I evaluate the jurisdictional and evidentiary posture of every fraud case from the first consultation — including whether federal exposure exists. I handle every case personally, meaning the attorney you meet at the consultation is the attorney who appears in court.

Frequently Asked Questions