Edmonton Financial Crime Lawyers Serving Alberta and Western Canada
March 6, 2023

- Referrals: You can ask for referrals from friends, family, or colleagues who may have used the services of a financial crime lawyer in the past.
- Bar Associations: You can contact the Law Society of Alberta or the Canadian Bar Association for a list of financial crime lawyers in Edmonton and Western Canada.
- Online Searches: You can search online for financial crime lawyers in Edmonton and Western Canada. Many law firms have websites where you can find information about their practice areas, experience, and qualifications.
- Legal Directories: You can search legal directories such as LexisNexis, Martindale-Hubbell, or Avvo for financial crime lawyers in Edmonton and Western Canada. These directories provide information about the lawyers’ experience, education, and ratings.
When you find a potential lawyer, it’s essential to schedule a consultation to discuss your case and their experience in handling similar cases. This will help you determine if they are the right fit for your legal needs.
Financial Criminal Offences & Penalties in Alberta
In Alberta, financial crimes are serious offences that carry significant penalties. Here are some examples of financial criminal offences and their potential penalties in Alberta:
- Fraud: Fraud is a criminal offence that involves deception or misrepresentation for personal gain. Depending on the amount of money involved, fraud can be classified as either a summary conviction offence or an indictable offence. If convicted of fraud, a person could face up to 14 years in prison.
- Money Laundering: Money laundering is a criminal offence that involves disguising the proceeds of criminal activity as legitimate funds. If convicted of money laundering, a person could face up to 10 years in prison.
- Embezzlement: Embezzlement is a criminal offence that involves stealing money or property that has been entrusted to a person for safekeeping. Depending on the amount of money involved, embezzlement can be classified as either a summary conviction offence or an indictable offence. If convicted of embezzlement, a person could face up to 14 years in prison.
- Identity Theft: Identity theft is a criminal offence that involves stealing someone’s personal information, such as their name, date of birth, or social insurance number, for personal gain. If convicted of identity theft, a person could face up to 10 years in prison.
- Securities Fraud: Securities fraud is a criminal offence that involves misrepresenting or omitting important information in relation to the sale or purchase of securities. If convicted of securities fraud, a person could face up to 14 years in prison.
It’s important to note that these penalties are not exhaustive and may vary depending on the specific circumstances of the case. If you are facing charges related to financial crimes in Alberta, it’s essential to seek legal advice from a qualified criminal defence lawyer.
Fraud
Fraud is a type of financial crime that involves deception or misrepresentation for personal gain. It can take many forms, such as:
- Investment fraud: Investment fraud involves misrepresenting or omitting important information related to an investment opportunity in order to induce someone to invest.
- Credit card fraud: Credit card fraud involves the unauthorized use of someone else’s credit card or credit card information to make purchases or withdraw cash.
- Identity theft: Identity theft involves stealing someone’s personal information, such as their name, date of birth, or social insurance number, for personal gain.
- Ponzi schemes: Ponzi schemes involve using new investors’ funds to pay returns to earlier investors, rather than generating actual profits from a legitimate business.
- Insurance fraud: Insurance fraud involves making false claims to insurance companies for personal gain.
Fraud is a serious offence in Canada and can result in significant penalties, including imprisonment, fines, and restitution. If you are facing charges related to fraud, it’s essential to seek legal advice from a qualified criminal defence lawyer who has experience in defending fraud cases. They can help you understand the charges against you, build a strong defence, and protect your rights throughout the legal process.
Money Laundering
Money laundering is a financial crime that involves disguising the proceeds of criminal activity as legitimate funds. The purpose of money laundering is to conceal the illicit origins of the funds and make them appear to be the proceeds of legal activity. Some common examples of criminal activity that can generate proceeds that are laundered include drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, and fraud.
In Canada, money laundering is a criminal offence that can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines. The Criminal Code of Canada defines money laundering as the process of concealing, converting, or transferring property that is the proceeds of crime, with the intent to conceal or convert its origin.
Money laundering involves three stages: placement, layering, and integration. Placement involves introducing the illicit funds into the financial system, often through cash deposits or transfers. Layering involves moving the funds through multiple accounts or transactions to make it difficult to trace their origins. Integration involves using the laundered funds to purchase assets or investments, such as real estate or stocks, to make the funds appear legitimate.
Money laundering is a complex area of law, and investigations often involve multiple agencies, including law enforcement, financial regulators, and tax authorities. If you are facing charges related to money laundering, it’s crucial to seek legal advice from a qualified criminal defence lawyer who has experience in defending money laundering cases. They can help you understand the charges against you, build a strong defence, and protect your rights throughout the legal process.
Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting is a type of financial crime that involves the production and distribution of fake or imitation currency, securities, or other financial instruments with the intent to deceive others and profit from the illegal activity. Counterfeiting can take many forms, including:
- Currency counterfeiting: Currency counterfeiting involves the production of fake or imitation currency, such as bills or coins, with the intent to pass them off as genuine currency.
- Securities counterfeiting: Securities counterfeiting involves the production of fake or imitation financial instruments, such as stocks, bonds, or certificates of deposit, with the intent to deceive others and profit from the illegal activity.
- Identity counterfeiting: Identity counterfeiting involves the production of fake or imitation documents, such as passports, driver’s licenses, or birth certificates, with the intent to deceive others and profit from the illegal activity.
Counterfeiting is a serious offence in Canada and can result in significant penalties, including imprisonment, fines, and restitution. The Criminal Code of Canada defines counterfeiting as the production, distribution, or possession of counterfeit currency, securities, or other financial instruments with the intent to deceive or defraud others.
If you are facing charges related to counterfeiting, it’s essential to seek legal advice from a qualified criminal defence lawyer who has experience in defending counterfeiting cases. They can help you understand the charges against you, build a strong defence, and protect your rights throughout the legal process.
Defending Financial Crimes in Alberta.
Defending financial crimes in Alberta requires a comprehensive understanding of the Criminal Code of Canada, as well as the relevant case law and legal precedents. A skilled criminal defence lawyer who has experience in defending financial crimes can help you build a strong defence and protect your rights throughout the legal process.
Some of the common defences that may be used in financial crime cases include:
- Lack of intent: Many financial crimes require the prosecution to prove that the defendant had the intent to commit the crime. If the defence can show that there was no intent to commit the crime, the charges may be reduced or dismissed.
- Mistaken identity: In some cases, the prosecution may have identified the wrong person as the perpetrator of the crime. If the defence can establish that the defendant was not involved in the crime, the charges may be dropped.
- Duress: If the defendant can show that they were forced to commit the crime under threat of harm or injury, they may be able to use the defence of duress.
- Entrapment: If the defendant can show that they were induced or coerced by law enforcement officials to commit the crime, they may be able to use the defence of entrapment.
- Improper police conduct: If the defendant’s rights were violated during the investigation or arrest, such as through an illegal search or seizure, the charges may be dropped.
Defending financial crimes in Alberta requires a careful analysis of the specific facts of the case, as well as a deep understanding of the relevant laws and legal precedents. A skilled criminal defence lawyer can help you navigate the legal process, build a strong defence, and protect your rights throughout the proceedings.