You Have A Right to Remain Silent

Here is a legal tip for you all. If you ever have Government Investigators knock on your door or show up at your office, unless they have a warrant, you do not have to talk to them. Make that YOU SHOULD NOT TALK TO THEM.

You politely decline by asking for the card with contact information and tell them that you will discuss with your attorney, who will be in touch with them.

This is not about hiding or withholding information or impeding the investigation. This is a matter of making sure you are fully prepared for the interview.

I recently helped a client through a interview process with government investigators and prosecutors. My client, being polite and cooperative when two agents knocked on her door at 8:00 AM on a random Friday morning, agreed to talk to them with no preparation. Here is the thing - very few of us can remember exact details about something that happened six months ago. While this is normally fine, it is not when you are discussing these events with government investigators.

My client, innocently, got a couple of facts wrong in that initial conversation, which made the follow-on conversation with the government much more difficult.

Even if you "didn't do anything wrong," you should never speak to an investigator unprepared. You have no idea what they are going to ask or the topics they are going to cover.

Your attorney will be able to get this information and help you prepare for an interview. This way you are much less likely to make a mistake or say anything incorrectly.

My client is likely making it through this issue with only metaphorical bumps and bruises, but thankfully, no scars. That is not always the case.

Call your lawyer.