As bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency have gained rapid popularity globally, so have incidents of criminal activity involving crypto. Most cryptocurrency crimes in the U.S. are considered federal offenses because transactions occurring in the blockchain aren't bound by state boundaries. If...
Kidnapping. Murder. Money laundering. Extortion. These are just some of the charges a southern California couple could be facing after authorities claim they uncovered an elaborate scheme that crossed the border into Mexico. The two accused are now facing felony charges and could possibly face li...
At Sigal Law Group, we understand that times are stressful right now in Los Angeles as well as around the country. With the coronavirus lockdowns dragging on and now an early heat wave here in southern California, people are anxious about the current situation and getting antsy to return to a “no...
We are nearing the one-month anniversary of the state of California being under a “stay at home” mandate, thanks to COVID-19 spreading across the country. For some of us, this past month may have felt more like a year in length, but most Californians have adapted pretty quickly to what a new “nor...
If you are starting to feel antsy from being cooped up at home with your family during the coronavirus pandemic, there is one silver lining to think about: the crime rate in Los Angeles County dropped 23 percent in March compared to a year ago. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore re...
We are currently living in unique times. The spread of COVID-19 throughout the United States is quickly changing everyday life. On Thursday, March 19, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a “shelter in place” mandate, closing all nonessential businesses and facilities in the entire state of Califor...
Unfortunately in this country, marijuana convictions disproportionately affect people of color, and those who have been convicted of misdemeanor possession of marijuana have potentially had to deal with being discriminated against when it comes to applying for jobs, housing, and government assist...
After serving 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Ricky Davis is a free man. This case not only highlights the kinds of techniques law enforcement can employ to wrangle false confessions out of witnesses, but it demonstrates how important DNA evidence can now be used in conjunction ...
It has been a complicated case that has involved past and current prosecutors, multiple alleged victims, a former orthopedic surgeon turned reality television star and his girlfriend, and surprise rulings in court. And despite it looking like the entire matter was going to end last week, the case...
Another scandal is breaking from within the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). More than a dozen LAPD officers are being investigated for falsifying information they gathered during stops and for falsely identifying people as gang members. Several officers have been taken off active duty in re...
Ethan Couch, the young man who was convicted and sentenced to probation after killing four people and injuring two others in a June 2013 DUI accident near Fort Worth, Texas, was arrested January 2, 2020, for violating the terms of his probation. This may be the second time Couch has possibly viol...
It's a story that first shocked Los Angeles but has now traveled the country: a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer has been arrested for fondling the breasts of a female corpse. The incident was caught on the officer's body camera. He's now facing one felony count of “sexual contact wit...
Up to 9,000 pieces of evidence may be missing in Orange County, according to Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders. The missing evidence includes photos, videos, cash, and drugs that could be crucial in determining an accused person's guilt or innocence, and the Orange County public defenders o...
It was a stunning rise and fall. In November 2018, Katie Hill was elected to be a U.S. Representative of California's 25th congressional district. She was one of twenty millennials to be elected to Congress in the midterm election. Hill, who is openly bisexual, was considered to be a rising star ...
In June 2019, Cuba Gooding, Jr. was at the Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge in New York City where he encountered a woman who claimed he grabbed her breast without her consent. The woman filed a criminal charge and Gooding turned himself in to the police but was later released on his own recogni...
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 218 into law on Sunday, October 13, 2019. AB 218 will extend the time frame that victims of childhood sexual assault victims can file a lawsuit against their alleged abusers. While many sexual assault survivors, advocates, and lawyers praised ...
Fashionable footwear has always been popular, but in the last few years, fashion sneakers have really become the rage, but most people can't afford to spend hundreds or even thousands on a pair of Nike or Addidas sneakers. This has led to a booming fake sneaker industry, and just this month a rem...
A man who claims on his website to be the great-nephew of the late Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe is in his own case of “Say it ain't so, Joe,” as he has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and embezzling $750,000 from a Bulgarian-based charity. Robin DiMaggio is a drummer and percussionist who has be...
Ed Buck, who has been a high-dollar donor to Democrats for years, is now facing his own high-dollar bail of four million dollars. Buck is accused of three California state charges—running a drug house, battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine, and distributing methamphetamine...
Various Forms of Identity Theft With the advent of electronic technology, identity theft has become a very common crime and as such, more and more law enforcement agencies are now taking active steps to prosecute people for various crimes involving identity theft. Often, these cases may be compli...
Tweet Various Forms of Identity Theft With the advent of electronic technology, identity theft has become a very common crime and as such, more and more law enforcement agencies are now taking active steps to prosecute people...
Tweet Drug Trafficking and the sales of narcotics has always been a highly contested topic of criminal law. The so called “war on drugs” has cost taxpayers countless dollars and has taken up a large part of the law enforcement...
Tweet 5 Things To Look For Before Hiring A Local Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer The Los Angeles area is a vast metropolis with availability of virtually every service imaginable. This is definitely the case when it comes...
Tweet What Happens When Someone is Arrested for a Felony There are two types levels of crime that may be charged in a criminal case: misdemeanor and felony. In this blog, I will discuss what happens when someone is facing fel...
Tweet 5 Things To Know About Domestic Violence Before You Go To Court One of the most common cases that a criminal lawyer sees involves domestic violence. These can vary in severity from misdemeanor to felony, depending the n...
