Charged with Medicare Fraud - Need Some Legal Help?

[Jamie875]

Been charged with 6x Medicare fraud and 1x aiding another person to do so. I don't have criminal record at all. I have been interviewed by Medicare investigator which I complied with and admitted I was wrong. My reason for doing it was because my sister needed my help. Sorry for what I have done; my family needs me. I'm a single parent and sole carer of my sister who has just 15 weeks ago had major stroke. I have been refused legal aid and called 37 community centres with no luck.

Will I go to jail for this under criminal law? How can I get legal help?

 

[Tim W]

Have you formally applied for Legal Aid, and had it formally refused?
Or have you just made phone calls?

Legal Aid does not work not like Medicare.
Not everyone is entitled to it, and not everyone who is entitled to it actually gets it.

But you do need to make a formal application.

 

[John R]

Hi @Jamie875
I understand that you're based in Western Australia. Similar to @Tim Williams' question, how/why has Legal Aid WA and the community legal centres refused assistance?

Medicare fraud is a Federal/Commonwealth offence. Recent media suggests that almost 50% of Medicare fraud referrals to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) result in a conviction. The CDPP website has further information on Medicare fraud under its General Fraud section. You should consider obtaining legal advice via legal aid or a criminal defence lawyer specialising in Medicare fraud at your earliest opportunity.