Dallas Bank Fraud Defense Lawyer

Facing a bank fraud investigation in Dallas?

Contact Heath Hyde’s office to discuss an FBI inquiry, a bank referral for investigation, a federal subpoena or target letter, or an indictment. The firm’s published practice information includes federal criminal defense and complex financial allegations in Dallas and elsewhere in Texas. Call 903-439-0000 or request a consultation. Tell the office whether charges have been filed and identify any immediate deadline.

You can contact the office for yourself, for a family member who has been arrested, or as a lawyer seeking federal defense counsel for a client. Inquiries may concern a business owner, executive, employee, intermediary, or another person facing a fraud investigation. The firm must check conflicts, capacity, jurisdiction, and the work requested before agreeing to represent anyone.

What can counsel do before and after charges?

Before charges are filed, counsel needs to know what investigators have asked for and which records must be kept. Bring any subpoena to the discussion. Depending on your circumstances, a lawyer may advise you about speaking with agents, review the statutes that could apply, and consider whether to contact the prosecutor. Getting help early gives you time to prepare. It cannot ensure that the investigation will end without charges.

Once an indictment is filed, counsel must review the release conditions and each count. The work can include organizing discovery, tracing transactions, interviewing witnesses, analyzing financial records, and preparing motions. Negotiations and trial preparation depend on what that review reveals.

The same indictment may describe loan or account deception as bank fraud, interstate communications used in a scheme as wire fraud, and later transfers of proceeds as money laundering. Counsel needs to test each allegation separately. A transfer is not automatically all three crimes; the proof and possible defenses must be mapped to each count. Read the federal bank fraud defense guide and charge map.

What exactly must the government prove?

Federal bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1344 concerns a knowingly executed or attempted scheme to defraud a financial institution, or to obtain property it owns or controls through false or fraudulent pretenses. An indictment may also charge wire fraud (§ 1343), a false statement to influence a covered lender (§ 1014), or money laundering (§§ 1956–1957). Start with the subsection named in the indictment and the transactions behind each count. Compare what the witnesses say with the underlying records. Where do they agree, and where do they differ? Calling a transaction fraud does not establish the proof required for a conviction. See the charge map and detailed explanations.

A defense built for records and a jury

A jury may know nothing about your business. The defense has to make the records understandable while testing what they actually show. That can mean working through thousands of pages of loan files, bank statements, messages, and accounting entries, then checking investigators’ summaries against those sources. What was allegedly deceptive? What connects you to the bank and the property at issue? Depending on the evidence, counsel may need a forensic accountant, witness interviews, admissibility motions, a competing timeline, or focused cross-examination.

Heath Hyde’s published biography reports more than a decade as a Dallas County prosecutor, federal defense experience, and participation in a major healthcare fraud trial. Ask Heath directly about the federal financial cases most relevant to yours, his role in them, proposed staffing, and the path from investigation through possible trial. Meet Heath Hyde.

For attorneys considering a referral

If you are referring a client, start with the deadline and the people or entities involved. Explain whether the matter concerns a subpoena, a civil inquiry running alongside a criminal investigation, a lender dispute, or an indictment. The firm will need to check conflicts and Heath’s availability, discuss communication with existing counsel, and define the proposed responsibilities. Other lawyers or a financial expert may be needed. Obtain client authorization and confirm a suitable channel before sending privileged or sensitive records. Call 903-439-0000 and identify the matter as an attorney referral. No referral relationship or representation is assumed before agreement.

What happens when you contact the office?

On the first call, explain who you are calling for and give the next deadline. Name the agency or court if you know it. Tell the office about any subpoena, target letter, complaint, or indictment you have received. Ask how to send documents securely and arrange a consultation with Heath. The office will check availability and conflicts. The call alone does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Call 903-439-0000 · Contact Heath Hyde

Common questions

Should I wait until I am charged? An investigation can involve consequential deadlines and decisions before an indictment. Ask counsel to assess your situation as soon as you learn of the inquiry.

Do you handle related wire fraud or laundering allegations? Heath’s site identifies federal fraud and money laundering among matters his practice addresses. The firm must assess the particular charges, conflicts, and capacity before accepting your case. Explore the related charges.

Can you promise a dismissal or acquittal? No. The defense strategy and possible outcomes depend on the evidence, applicable law, and stage of the case.

Is this page only for Dallas residents? It addresses Dallas and federal matters in Texas. Location, court admission, and representation arrangements are evaluated for each matter; contact the office to discuss the venue.

Primary authorities: 18 U.S.C. § 1344; § 1343; § 1014; § 1956; § 1957.