Legal Aid?

[WayOutWisdoms]

If someone has been violated by a criminal, and needs proffessional assistance, direction, and legal advice as to how to pursue the criminals who have defrauded them; will legal aid help someone with no money?

I am stuck, as I am not sure whether to seek the police first?
~OR~
If I should seek legal counsel to pursue two people who have defrauded me, and several others?

The level of fraud being committed may even constitute additional charges; concerning "Human Trafficking" as these people who are committing these crimes have "recruited" several people, using "coersion, abuse of power, deception, and a multitude of promises & manipulation", causing people (including myself) to rely heavily on a job that was promised, but now reveals may not really exist.(There is no sexual abuse in this case)

But they now have created a trap, or an "involuntary servitude" situation, and costing a lot of good people most or all of their money while awaiting their proposed opportunity.

In my case, these people have my children (long story), but have no legal custody, and they are threatening me, because I no longer believe they can provide what they initial promised my children, others, or myself.

I demanded my children and my life back!

Which they have denied, and threatened if I pursue charges, they'll make sure I don't see my kids ever again!

The last time I tried to explain this situation and request help on a different board here, I was ridiculed, and nobody could even begin too grasp the severity of the situation I'm undergoing!

I am currently awaiting a response from legal aid, and trying to see if I qualify, if not...is there any alternative to getting a pro-bono lawyer?, as we have no money to fight these people.

I simply don't know what to do first;

-Call the cops, then seek a lawyer?

-Get counsel, and then seek the police?

Either way, I'm in a huge hole and cannot get out without help!

I fear, if I am not cautious filing a police report, they will walk, and then carry out their threat(s) against me, or my children!

I appreciate any "real" advice.

 

[irish223]

Yeah, okay. Do the following in this order:

Take your children. If they don't have legal custody or guardianship then they don't have any legal rights to your children.

Visit your local department of human services for help with housing and other social services.

File a report with the police.

Get a consultation with an attorney.

 

[WayOutWisdoms]

Thank-You!!!!

I apologize for the previous debate with you, as I read a ton of the advice you've given, and it seems you do your due in regard to philanthropy, and benevolent acts.

This is a major wall of humilty, and I was not seeking anymore.

Thank you, and if it means anything anyone who arms people with intelligence, and is trying to defeat ignorance is o.k. in my book!

 

[CdwJava]

If someone has been violated by a criminal, and needs proffessional assistance, direction, and legal advice as to how to pursue the criminals who have defrauded them; will legal aid help someone with no money?

Legal Aid programs vary by state and by county. Civil issues are not as likely to be covered.

I am stuck, as I am not sure whether to seek the police first?

If you are the victim of a crime, report it to the police. Very often restitution can be added to any sentence if the defendant is found guilty.

If I should seek legal counsel to pursue two people who have defrauded me, and several others?

Consult attorneys and see what they have to say about helping you with a lawsuit. If they are willing to take the case on contingency (i.e. they get paid when they win) then you're golden. If they want to be paid up front you have to ask yourself whether or not the case is worth the attempt.

But they now have created a trap, or an "involuntary servitude" situation, and costing a lot of good people most or all of their money while awaiting their proposed opportunity.

That might be fraud, but it is not involuntary servitude, slavery, or human trafficking. Playing on people's greed, hopes and desires, etc., is fraud.

In my case, these people have my children (long story), but have no legal custody, and they are threatening me, because I no longer believe they can provide what they initial promised my children, others, or myself.

If they have kidnapped your children, call the police. But, somehow, I suspect that is not quite the case, is it?

-Call the cops, then seek a lawyer?

Yes.

-Get counsel, and then seek the police?

No.


- Carl

 

[WayOutWisdoms]

Carl,

Thank-you for clarifying the difference between "involuntary servitude" and fraud. We are currently getting all the paperwork, evidence, victims, and witnesses together, in an effort to do this right, and within the law to report this to the police.

As irish223 stated above, get the kids back, we almost would have to snatch them and run, whereby, we almost feel it's best to let the police remove the children from their care.

The irony being these persons in question consistently influence everyone to believe they are sincere, but our experience tells us otherwise. I think most of us (victims) over-thought this thing, and shares a similarity to that of a gambler chasing their losses. Hopeful to recover even a portion of the loss.

In our case, it's not about money. It's always been the interests of the childrens future.

It's scary, as once we take proper action, and go to the police, we are essentially homeless, and penniless.

The demographics concerning all this is hard for us (the victims) to even comprehend, let alone conveying it to the authorities.

We've given serious consideration to exploiting it through the media, but feel first we should grow the courage to go to the police first, seek counsel and face the reality we may wind up homeless as a direct result. (that's the hard part)

Thank-You for your insight.

We are trying to "just do it" -and yet it's a serious leap of faith. We have nothing to hide, only the shame and humilty, which I believe will essentially be of benefit in the future, as in my experience humilty is a great teacher.

Thank-you again,

Art

 

[WayOutWisdoms]

*also, regarding the question of kidnapping, I don't believe that would stick.

They initial lead us to believe the children would be safe with them and their son, and made a host of promises, and proposals surrounding the childrens future(s) (i.e. the best of education, financial privilege, and more.) Whereby, we fell for this seeing no threat, or reason to believe otherwise.

They basically "baited" everyone to believe they could provide opportunity, security, jobs, and the finances to produce beneficial results for the whole.

That is where the "fraud" began, and has continued since for 2 years in some cases. There are are two people who directly have submitted (a rumored amount in excess of $100k) of which we now believe was the motive behind their "story"- which hooked us all unknowingly. We lost nearly $80k, not counting job opportunities we've been influenced to turn down. (which made us very suspicious)

However, our losses were made more in sacrifice(i.e. selling off everything below value, letting go of our storage unit, and basically all we had believing we were benefitting our children; not so much ourselves) In short, we had all we could do to just pay our rent, and remain within 50 yards of the children's/criminals room, for fear they might attempt to put abandonment charges on us.

They stopped us from working in Nov 08' -and now are providing our rent, which we suspect is directly from money they've manipulated from one of the 2 people aforementioned.

It's really a psychological test of tenacity at this point, as everyone is now uncovering the truth, and it does not match these people's "story"

Our greatest concern, is no matter what happens, we want our children in our care, accompanied by us, while rebuild, and provide means to overcome the estrangment, and psychological abuse that we've endured.

As far as money, or lawsuit...Personally, I do not want anything from these people, less my kids, and freedom back!- and for them to pay for their crimes, so no-one else get hurt by them!

I could justify a lawsuit, but is not the main focal point.

If and when all this is done I'll buy you a week's worth of latte's!

Thanks Carl,

 

[CdwJava]

As irish223 stated above, get the kids back, we almost would have to snatch them and run, whereby, we almost feel it's best to let the police remove the children from their care.

Probably best for the authorities to handle it. Though, I'm curious, how can someone else have gotten custody of YOUR kids? Did you sign away parental rights for some reason? Are they in the custody of others as a result of court action or as a result of child services' placement?


- Carl

 

[irish223]

Probably best for the authorities to handle it. Though, I'm curious, how can someone else have gotten custody of YOUR kids? Did you sign away parental rights for some reason? Are they in the custody of others as a result of court action or as a result of child services' placement?


- Carl

There are no court orders for custody. OP allowed the kids to live with the other couple for the past 2(?) years. There's another very long thread about this if you're interested.

 

[WayOutWisdoms]

No, they have no legal custody rights.

We've recently been warned to be careful, they are not trying to file abandonement, which would never fly, because too many people are aware of them, and our situation.

Lastly, they've had our kids under the stipulation they were going to prove they were who they professed to be, and could do all they had proposed to do, which was rather astronomical.

We simply were convinced by others, and paperwork that they produced (disclosing their assets, and financial worth)and believed they were sincere, and figured if they were not, we'd have criminal charges filed, and get the kids back. I mean we really didn't see a potential threat, nor reason for them to lie about what they were worth.

Only now, 14 months of continual promises has us baffled, as what these people are doing?-or better still, why?

It really doesn't make any logical sense to us, or anyone else.

Now we are all searching for what crimes they've committed?, or that apply?- as we need to prove they had deliberate intent to defraud, or we fear they'll walk away, and do this to someone else.

In truth, they are cleaan cut, well educated, well spoken. If they had focused half the energy they put into this charade, they probably would be as wealthy as they claimed.

In the beginning they had us ready to sign over parental custody, providing they put in writing all that they had proposed to do for the kids, and we as the parents were promised they were not taking our kids per se, but rather giving them a life of the privileged, while we would still have communication, visitation, and full-access to our children.

It was discussed as a friendly adoption of sort, but they never produced their lawyer(s), never proved to have the fortune they proclaimed, and never fulfilled any of the promises they've made to several people, not only ourselves.

Aside from us, they influenced one gentleman to quit his $45k per year job to go to work for them, and then never produced the job. That man lost his home, and is now living with his elderly mother.

There's just too much to list, which is why I couldn't figure out where to start with first post. in short, everything they promised was supposed to be by-the-book, nothing illegal, and seemed very believable.

The whole thing has almost drove us, and several others to places we normally would'nt go!

 

[WayOutWisdoms]

Just for the record, many of the people that were onboard with these people were proffessionals with backgrounds ranging from upper managment positions, a retired textile manufacturer, myself who has been entrepreneurial for the majority of my life, and another gentleman who is an ex-American Gladiator from the television show.

So, I really feel like an idiot for having allowed my children to be in these 2 persons care/company, but the at the beginning we truly believed this was a blessing from above.

There's people, including myself who considered lynching these people, but God knows that is no solution!