When considering serious criminal offenses much of the focus is often on crimes such as theft, robbery and murder. As a result, other serious crimes often go under the radar. However, there is a set of crimes that have significant impacts on victims as well as severe punishments for those who are accused.
White-collar crime is non-violent crime that is typically inspired by the prospect of making financial gains. One distinct subset of white-collar crime is forgery. Outlined below are the key components of forgery in the state of Minnesota.
Defining forgery
The law in Minnesota defines forgery as knowingly using false writing to purposely injure or defraud. There are numerous forms that this offense can take. For example, creating a fake membership card or modifying an official membership card in some way could be categorized as forgery. Another example would be if documentation had been modified or destroyed with the intention of using it or preventing it from being used as evidence in a court of law.
Check forgery
There is also a specific statute in Minnesota for check forgery. As the name suggests, this crime involves falsifying a check in order to profit financially. Crucially, the crime may even still occur in the event that the forged instrument is rejected.
Aggravated forgery
Aggravated forgery refers to a more heinous subset of the offense. Frequently, this crime involves forging official documents and certificates, public records, banking correspondence as well as other documents that are generally held in higher esteem.
The potential punishments for forgery can be severe. As a result, it is important to gain some understanding of this white-collar offense. If you are facing criminal charges, you should remember that you have legal rights and protections.