Internet fraud and impersonation are serious crimes that could result in heavy fines and incarceration. It is common in these cases for mistakes to be made and false accusations to lead to wrongful arrests. Anyone facing these serious allegations would be well-advised to speak to a skilled criminal defense attorney to begin building their defense.
In California, it is a crime to falsely impersonate another person online. It is illegal to “knowingly access and, without permission, alter, damage, delete, destroy, or otherwise use any data, computer, computer system, or computer network in order to devise or execute any scheme or artifice to defraud, deceive, or extort, or wrongfully control or obtain money, property, or data.”
A new California bill will expand the scope of this law. Victims of false impersonation will now have the right to further penalize the defendant. The new bill, S. B. 1411, will allow victims of false impersonation to file a civil lawsuit against the defendant. This means that anyone facing these serious allegations may face civil penalties in additional to the criminal penalties. With this new law, the stakes for someone facing these charges in Los Angeles will be tremendously increased. The defendant may not only face jail time and hefty fines after a criminal trial, but could also be held civilly liable in a separate civil proceeding.
If you have been accused of false impersonation on the Internet, you need quality legal representation from the skilled and knowledgeable Los Angeles defense attorneys at Sitkoff & Hanrahan. Do not pay for a crime you did not commit. Call our office at 866-430-8383 to discuss your case at no-cost.