You may notice odd changes or events in your life that may indicate you’ve become the target of a criminal investigation. When you notice some signs that officials have opened a federal investigation into you, contact a federal criminal defense attorney to discuss your rights and options.
A lawyer can discuss how to find out if there is an open investigation on you.
Some of the top signs that you’ve become a subject of a federal criminal investigation include:
You Receive a Target Letter
In some cases, federal investigators will send you a target letter explicitly advising that you’ve become a suspect or a person of interest in a criminal investigation. A target letter may warn you against destroying anything that may become evidence in a criminal case or leaving the jurisdiction during the investigation. Target letters frequently invite suspects to schedule meetings with investigators. However, you should not speak to law enforcement without consulting a criminal defense attorney.
Federal Investigators Show Up at Your Home or Office
Agents from a federal law enforcement agency, such as the FBI, DEA, or Secret Service, may arrive to speak with you or search your home or office. However, you can decline to speak with the federal agents and refuse to consent to a search. However, when the agents have a search warrant, they have the right to search your home or office.
Your Bank Accounts Are Frozen
One common sign that you may have come under criminal investigation includes freezing your financial accounts. A financial institution may freeze your accounts if it receives a criminal subpoena for records or when federal investigators allege that you may have used the account to facilitate criminal activity or store the proceeds of a crime.
You Receive a Subpoena
You might receive a subpoena asking you to testify before a grand jury or provide documentation as part of a criminal case. When you receive a subpoena, you should consult a criminal defense attorney. You may have a Fifth Amendment right to decline to testify or provide documents if the subpoena seeks information that may implicate you in a crime.
Your Colleagues Are Interviewed
Federal investigators may contact your family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to ask questions as part of their criminal investigation. These interviews may seek to gain information about you or evaluate their involvement in your suspected criminal activity.
You Receive an Internet Service Provider Notification
Federal investigators may sometimes request information about your internet activity from your internet service provider (ISP). Your ISP may notify you that they have provided such information in response to a request or subpoena.
You Are Being Followed
Finally, you may notice a suspicious vehicle parked outside your home or business or the same vehicles or individuals following you. This may signal that you are under surveillance as part of a criminal investigation.
Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation If You Suspect You’re Under Investigation
When you suspect you’ve become a target in a federal investigation, get advice and guidance from a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer about how to know if a case is being built against you. Contact Broden & Mickelsen, LLP today for a confidential consultation to discuss your options if federal law enforcement officials have placed you under investigation for a crime. We have extensive experience handling state and federal criminal cases and appeals.
