On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Support on Tuesday, May 17, 2016.
It can be frustrating and frightening when your ex falls behind on child support. Most custodial parents count on that money to help them pay for their children’s basic needs. So when the money does not arrive, it is natural to be tempted to listen to anybody who says they can help.
But real help can come from a family law attorney, not a stranger whose real goal is ripping off single parents and the state child support system. That is what authorities in Florida are accusing a couple there of doing. The defendants allegedly used bad checks to defraud parents and the state.
According to a news report, the couple approached eight single mothers who were owed child support from the fathers of their children. The suspects allegedly offered to help them get the money, in exchange for half of the payments.
After the women agreed, the suspects reportedly wrote fraudulent checks to the state Department of Revenue to “cover” the missing payments. Since the checks were below a certain amount, the department deposited the bad checks without verifying them, then disbursed the child support to the mothers before the suspects’ checks bounced.
In all, the suspects are accused of writing nearly $150,000 worth of bad checks, and costing the Department of Revenue $109,000.
In Illinois, legal steps to getting your ex to meet his or her child support obligations include obtaining a contempt action in court. Child support orders can also be modified after the fact, to reflect changes in the parents’ financial situations or the children’s needs.
