Practice Area

Identity Theft & Financial Fraud Defense

Identity theft charges — whether state or federal — carry serious prison time and restitution orders. Jeff Goldfarb defends clients against these complex financial crime allegations.

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Missouri and Federal Identity Theft Law

Identity theft involves using another person's personal information — name, Social Security number, credit card number, or other identifying data — without authorization to obtain money, credit, goods, or services. Missouri identity theft is a Class D felony for a first offense, escalating to a Class B felony for repeat offenses or when the victim is elderly. Federal identity theft charges under 18 U.S.C. § 1028 carry up to 15 years in prison, with enhanced penalties when the offense involves terrorism, immigration fraud, or financial institution fraud.

Computer Crimes and Cybercrime

Many identity theft cases involve computer access crimes — unauthorized access to computer systems, phishing schemes, data breaches, and online fraud. These cases often involve digital forensic evidence that requires careful analysis. Jeff works with technical experts to challenge the reliability of digital evidence and the government's interpretation of electronic records.

Restitution and Financial Consequences

Identity theft convictions almost always include restitution orders requiring the defendant to repay victims for their losses. In large-scale fraud cases, restitution can reach hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. Understanding the full financial exposure — and strategies to minimize it — is an important part of the defense.

Building Your Defense

Jeff examines whether the government can prove you knowingly used another person's information without authorization, whether the digital evidence was properly obtained and preserved, and whether you have been misidentified as the perpetrator of an online scheme. Many identity theft prosecutions involve circumstantial evidence that can be effectively challenged.