Complex Fraud Lawyer Cairns — Fixed Fee
$7,500 — Fixed Fee
Complex fraud plea — Cairns Magistrates Court — $7,500 Covers : initial consultation, detailed review of the financial investigation brief, charge and facts negotiation, sentencing submissions addressing scale and circumstances, restitution coordination, and court appearance. No hidden fees. One invoice. All fees +10% GST.
What Is Included
Initial consultation to review the charge, the alleged conduct, and the scope of the prosecution brief Detailed review of the financial investigation material — alleged amounts, transaction records, and the basis for the prosecution's figures Advice on whether the charges or the facts alleged can be negotiated — reducing counts, amending the statement of facts, or challenging alleged loss figures Preparation of written sentencing submissions that address the scale of the offending, your personal circumstances, and any mitigating factors Coordination of character references, expert reports where relevant, and restitution proposals Full appearance by Sacha at your sentencing hearing Post-sentence advice on any conviction recorded, conditions, professional disclosure obligations, and confiscation proceedings if applicable Where a complex fraud matter proceeds to the District Court, it is covered under the District Court fixed fee. The complexity of your matter and which court will deal with it is assessed at the first consultation. What Makes a Matter Complex Complex fraud matters share characteristics that distinguish them from single-count Magistrates Court matters: Multiple counts — a series of transactions over time, each charged separately Large alleged amounts — matters where the prosecution's alleged loss runs into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars Multiple complainants — workplace fraud, business fraud, or client fraud involving more than one victim Financial investigation brief — matters where the prosecution has engaged forensic accountants or conducted a detailed financial investigation, producing a large and technical brief of evidence Commonwealth charges — Centrelink, Medicare, ATO, or other federal matters prosecuted under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) where the sentencing framework and available options differ from Queensland matters Proceeds of crime and confiscation — where a conviction may trigger confiscation proceedings under the Criminal Proceeds Confiscation Act 2002 (Qld) If your matter has any of these features, the $7,500 fee applies. If you are unsure whether your matter is simple or complex, call Civic Law — Sacha will assess it at the first consultation.
The Financial Brief and What It Means
Complex fraud prosecutions are built around financial evidence — transaction records, bank statements, business records, and in many cases a forensic accounting report prepared by the prosecution. That brief needs to be read carefully. The prosecution's figures are not always correct. Alleged loss amounts in fraud matters are frequently overstated — transactions are miscategorised, authorised expenditures are included, or the methodology for calculating loss is flawed. Challenging the alleged loss is not just an academic exercise: it directly affects the sentencing range. A matter where the alleged loss is reduced from $200,000 to $80,000 is a materially different matter at sentence. The scope of the charges can often be narrowed. Where the prosecution has charged every transaction individually across a long period, there is often scope to negotiate a more focused statement of facts. Sacha reviews the brief and identify where the facts are contestable or where the charges are broader than the evidence supports. The period of offending matters. Courts treat sustained, systematic conduct differently from conduct compressed into a short period. The way the offending is characterised in the statement of facts — and whether that characterisation accurately reflects what occurred — is something Sacha examines before any plea is entered.
Why These Cases Require Early and Thorough Preparation
Complex fraud matters involve more moving parts than a straightforward single-count matter. The decisions made early — about what to accept, what to contest, whether to seek amendment of the facts, whether to make restitution — shape the outcome significantly. Restitution. In large-scale fraud matters, the practicality of full restitution is often limited. Partial restitution — or a credible commitment to repay supported by evidence of capacity — is still a significant mitigating factor. Sacha will advise on the practical and legal aspects of restitution and how to approach it. Expert evidence. In some matters, a forensic accounting report prepared on behalf of the defence — examining the prosecution's methodology and identifying errors in the loss calculation — is worth commissioning. Sacha will advise on whether that is appropriate in your case and how it would be used. Confiscation proceedings. A conviction for fraud or a related offence can trigger proceedings under the Criminal Proceeds Confiscation Act 2002 (Qld) to confiscate property that represents the proceeds of the offence. Sacha will advise on confiscation risk from the outset and factor it into the strategy for the criminal matter.
What Sacha Focuses On
In complex fraud matters, the preparation starts with the brief — not with an assumption that the prosecution's account is correct. Sacha reads the financial evidence, identify the points that are genuinely disputed or overstated, and advise on the realistic scope for negotiation before any plea is entered. For plea matters, the sentencing submissions address the scale and nature of the offending in a way that reflects what the evidence actually shows — not the prosecution's most adverse characterisation of it. The circumstances that led to the offending, the steps taken since, and any restitution made are all placed before the court in the most effective way. Where the professional or immigration consequences of a conviction are significant, the submissions address those directly. Courts exercise real discretion in fraud sentencing, and that discretion is influenced by the quality of the material placed before them.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can the amount I am sentenced for be less than what the prosecution alleges? Yes. The sentencing judge or magistrate sentences on the facts as found or agreed — not the prosecution's opening position. Where the alleged loss is disputed, it can be contested, and where it is agreed but the prosecution's characterisation is misleading, the submissions address that. Sacha will advise on the realistic scope for reducing the agreed loss figure in your matter. What if the fraud involved my employer? Employee fraud involves a breach of trust that courts treat as an aggravating factor. It also typically involves a close working relationship, access to systems, and circumstances that can be explained and contextualised. Sacha will address both sides of that picture in the submissions. What happens if there are confiscation proceedings? Where the prosecution seeks to confiscate property as proceeds of crime, that is a separate proceeding from the criminal matter itself. Responding to confiscation proceedings requires separate advice and, in some cases, separate representation. Sacha will advise on the confiscation risk from the outset and the appropriate steps to take. Do Commonwealth fraud charges work differently? Yes. Centrelink, Medicare, and ATO fraud are prosecuted under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). The sentencing framework, the available orders, and the approach to penalty all differ from Queensland fraud matters. Sacha will advise on which framework applies to your charge and what it means for the available outcomes. Will I go to prison for a complex fraud matter? Imprisonment is within the sentencing range for large-scale fraud, particularly where the amount is significant and the offending was sustained. For a first offence with genuine mitigating factors, strong restitution evidence, and thorough submissions, a non-custodial outcome is achievable in many cases. Sacha will give you an honest assessment at the first consultation — not a best-case scenario. What are my professional disclosure obligations? A conviction for a dishonesty offence triggers mandatory disclosure in most regulated industries — law, finance, accounting, health, real estate, government. The specific obligations depend on your profession and your employer. Sacha will advise on what applies in your situation before the matter is resolved.