Today’s business environment in South Carolina is marked by coordination between regulators and government authorities, which has caused a rather blurry line between civil, regulatory, and criminal penalties.
Your South Carolina business could be facing a challenging environment of enforcement, especially if you are in a highly regulated industry.
The business law attorneys at Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey LLC in Greenville, South Carolina, can handle a wide variety of legal matters in the regulatory, civil enforcement, white-collar and criminal cases.
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We can handle such matters that include but aren’t limited to:
- Export controls and Transactions in Sanctioned CountriesFalse Claims Act and qui tam (whistleblowers)
- Financial Services and Consumer Protection Bureau rules
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- Healthcare Industry Legal Issues
- Securities and Exchange Commission Investigations
- White-Collar Crime and Criminal Defense
We can also handle your legal matters that relate to antitrust and competition, environmental regulations, campaign finance, public corruption, trade secrets, security and government contracts, and procurement.
We also represent clients who are involved in:
- Clients in compliance and enforcement matters that include writing effective compliance programs and advising on any necessary regulatory compliance
- Conduct sensitive and confidential internal investigations
- Provide legal advice in connection with any testimony before a grand jury, a federal agency, or a congressional committee.
How Do I Know If I’m Under Government Investigation in South Carolina?
There are a few ways you may find out you’re under investigation. In many cases, you need to know that federal law enforcement may set up an encounter with you and one of their agents to confuse them into talking without having their South Carolina attorney with them.
These agents can come to your house, your job, or even approach you in an airport. They could be from the FBI, IRS, Department of Labor, or the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Additionally, a prosecutor may send you what is called a “target letter” to inform you that you are under federal investigation. You could also get served with a subpoena that is requesting specific documents.
What If the Federal Agents Show Up With A Search Warrant?
A search warrant is issued when a judge or magistrate approves this document that alleges there is enough evidence of probable cause that you have committed a crime and that you may have documents or other items related to the alleged crime.
In general, federal law enforcement will show up at your house when you are most likely asleep and do this on purpose. They are hoping that by doing this, you will be a bit disorientated and surprised.
These agents may also come with a list of prepared questions for you and your family. The most important thing to do in this situation is to remain quiet. You have the right to remain silent – use it.
You should also request a “search warrant return.” This is a document that must list any items or documents the federal agents seized.
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Can A South Carolina Attorney Help Me In a Federal Regulatory Investigation?
Your first step is to contact one of the government regulatory defense attorneys at Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey LLC in Greenville, South Carolina.
Our attorneys will contact the investigating agency and let them know that you have legal representation and that any future attempts to communicate with you should be done through us and not you.
You will need to work with us to help gather evidence, including any emails or documents that may be relevant to the investigation. Talk to us about anything you know, as the more information we have, the better equipped we will be to represent you. Contact us today for a free consultation.
