A California man is currently facing an uncertain future in the wake of federal charges that he accepted kickbacks in the course of his duties. Charges of white collar crimes can be complex, requiring a thorough understanding of many different areas. In this situation, the charges involve mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering. Conviction for such serious charges can result in life-changing consequences.
The 49-year-old man was the head of the IT department for Netflix and worked closely with business partners of the company. After he left Netflix to work at another company, Netflix filed a lawsuit against him, alleging he used fraudulent means to collect commissions from those business partners. The company claimed the man breached his fiduciary duty when he sought more than $500,000 plus stock options from at least three other companies in exchange for approving contracts between the companies and Netflix.
Although the lawsuit was settled, the man now faces criminal charges that he formed an LLC to collect the kickbacks and bribes. He is also accused of using the money for personal reasons, including the purchase of a California home for his family. If convicted, he stands to lose that home as well as paying hundreds of thousands in fines and the risk of up to 30 years in a federal penitentiary.
The former Netflix employee vehemently denies the charges and claims he served in an advisory capacity to the companies. Like anyone facing the turmoil of accusations of white collar crimes, he has the right to legal counsel. An attorney with a wide range of experience in criminal law will be an advantage when building a defense strategy.
Source: Los Gatos, CA Patch, “Former Netflix VP Charged In Alleged Kickback Scheme“, Maggie Avants, May 2, 2018
