The Internet can be a dangerous place. In addition, too many individuals do not understand that every stroke of a keyboard can be traced back to the point of origination. Apparently, Chris Gatling may fall into this group. Gatling was arrested last week in Scottsdale, Arizona on charges of fraud, aggravated identity theft, and forgery. No stranger to legal troubles, Gatling was actually apprehended during a mandatory probation report for conviction of previous crimes. A former NBA all-star, he played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association for eight different teams, retiring in 2003. One of those eight teams was the Miami Heat.
According to police reports, the vice-president of his multiple online companies was also arrested and charged with the same offenses. Gatling is also accused by the owner of a fitness salon of defrauding the business out of in excess of $90,000 from authorizing purchases using misrepresented credit cards that were ultimately linked to stolen identities. For Gatling and his associate, this may be the tip of the iceberg regarding suspected illegal activity if they were operating nationwide as the police have indicated. The cases are still under investigation. Gatling’s high-profile fame may prove to a liability as well as a former asset.
The truth is, this could happen in any region of the United States, including south Florida. Credit card scams abound online, and catching shady operators can still be a difficult job for authorities. Florida law enforcement officials understand this problem can be located anywhere, and many times police agencies are quick to prosecute many people on flimsy evidence. For those accused in Florida, the defendants will clearly need a Miami fraud defense lawyer to craft an acceptable case argument to the court while ensuring that all of the defendant’s legal rights are observed. One team of aggressive Fort Lauderdale fraud defense lawyers is Hassett & Associates of southern Florida.
At Hassett & Associates, we can investigate and evaluate your case for any potential charge reductions or dismissals by looking at the state prosecutor’s evidence and assessing the police reports for borderline or illegally obtained documentation. If you or anyone you know in Florida is facing charges for fraud or misrepresentation contact Miami fraud defense lawyer Hasset & Associates at any of our three offices in Davie, Miami, or Fort Lauderdale and let us handle your case with true criminal defense legal professionalism.
