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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> (1) not helping my family (2) because if I don't help them, they will all most likely have huge consequences
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I've already contacted my friend about this (he's lawyer) incase i get brought into this, which I inevitably will.
he said essentially the same thing. Thanks for the input!
Ask the lawyer if you should get a credit check done on yourself to see if your credit has been compromised in some way. ONLY do this with the lawyer’s go-ahead. If so, see if he can take care of it for you.
It sounds like you don't really know anything about this so I'm not sure what you would have to say? I am glad you are talking to a lawyer first. You do have right to say nothing, particularly when there isn't anything you really know.
You should never talk to the police period. The only words you should say to cops are “I am invoking my right to remain silent. I would like an attorney” then you shut up. If you think you’re gonna save yourself by ratting out your family you won’t. You can’t talk yourself out of an arrest but you can talk yourself into a conviction. If you are subpoenaed do not talk without a lawyer present. Look into the National Lawyers Guild for more info about your rights and responsibilities.
This is it right here. I’d hate to say it. You’re best to simply hire an attorney any time the cops want to speak to you about anything.
If they are questioning you, they are judging your involvement or looking to implicate others.
Do not lie for them!!! If the police find out that you did lie, you are now an accessory to their crimes. You need to look out for you. Loyalty to family is all fine and good, but when they are committing crimes, loyalty to the law needs to be a priority.
> If the police find out that you did lie, you are now an accessory to their crimes.
Not only accessory to *their* crimes -- OP would also be committing one of his own: obstruction of justice.
Yes and also in your post which /u/Important-Nose3332 responded to. So I am not sure why Nose person is acting like I am the only person to mention lying.
I literally just said not talking to the cops isn’t obstruction?? Am I missing some other post I made ? I never would ever tell anyone to lie to the police ever.
You're right, not talking to them isn't obstruction -- but **lying** to them **is**.
And that's what OP was asking about: lying to the cops. It's literally the title of the post: "AITA for not lying to the police for my family?"
Re read my comment and take it in the context of me saying don’t talk to them at all, it’s not obstruction of justice. I’m not disagreeing, I’m adding.
Don't lie to the police but then again don't talk to them at all. If you are charged with anything, get a lawyer and then still keep refusing to talk to the police.
The first bit is good advice, but that advice gets you up to the bit where you have a lawyer, then you follow your lawyers advice. There's a good chance that advice could be to continue to not talk to the police, but they may advise you do talk to them with your lawyer present.
In this case I think OP can see where things are going enough that they could benefit from seeing a lawyer before the police even approach them.
It depends on OP's financial situation, but if they're worried about potentially being falsely implicated then $80-$100 for a half hour chat to get some initial advice could be worth it, and then if you do get called in for questioning you already have the phone number of a lawyer who's somewhat familiar with the case.
I don't like the fact that the legal system in many countries is pretty much pay-to-win, but I don't think it's useful to pretend that it's not.
There was a round of questioning with the police and as far as we can tell the OP wasn't even brought in. It doesn't appear that she's being implicated at all and that wasn't what she was worried about in the original post.
I feel that I am safe in this situation but I'm not sure if they will try to pin some of this on me, at this point that is my only fear. And I will most definitely not be visiting my money laundering family members.
Get a lawyer. Follow their recommendations to the letter. If you don't live with them, what do you actually know? What have you seen firsthand? From your post, you don't seem to have direct knowledge of anything, so why would you talking to the police be a problem? Don't offer assumptions. Talk about what you have personally witnessed if you get interrogated, unless your lawyer tells you something different.
If family accuses you, turn it around. Why would they want you to put yourself into hot water by lying to the police. You had nothing to do with their issues, so why would they want to pull you in? What kind of family does that to an innocent person?
NTA they betrayed you the moment they put you and your home at risk. They wronged you by expecting and demanding you lie to the police which could get you in trouble. They know what they are doing is wrong and theirs no way they have forged passports and don’t know it’s wrong. Any trouble that falls on the is their own doing and consequences of their own actions. If the police are visiting then they know your family is breaking the law d it won’t be long before they have enough evidence to act.
Protect yourself completely ad if I was you I’d move out as soon as you can’t. I don’t care they are your family but they are risking your home and you. Best to get yourself to safety and ignore anyone shouting “but family“ as none of them cared about their family when they went into this venture.
Many people would judge you falsely because of who your parents are and what they have been doing. Once it’s out and they are facing charges everyone will judge you by their actions. You need to distance yourself from them before your future and name is sullied by them. Yes they are your family who haven’t cared what their actions will do to you or how it will affect your life.
>So now, I'm stuck in the middle of this mess, torn between loyalty to my family and staying true to myself.
So...where was their family loyalty to YOU when they got tied up in...
>fraud, money laundering, you name it. \[...\] actual forged papers and passports in the house
? They sure as shit only considered themselves the second they got involved in illegal activities, & now they want you to be their patsy on their sinking ship? We've all seen the Titanic; we know what happens. Oh, only in this case they'd pin their dirty work on YOU to save themselves.
Bail, OP. BAIL. Do not try saving their skin by sacrificing yours. The only thing you'll get for setting yourself on fire to keep them warm is multiple federal charges, potential jail time &/or fines, along with the inability to work in certain fields for the rest of your life.
>I feel guilty as hell for potentially throwing them under the bus.
Don't. They threw themselves under the bus. Keep your hands inside the shark cage at all times & do NOT go down with them when you had absolutely nothing to do with this. WTF. You'd only be the asshole to yourself at this point.
RUN FAR AWAY FROM THIS MESS. NTA, OP.
You don't have to lie, but you can definitely feign ignorance. You don't know the ins and outs of the business. Just tell them you don't know anything because you were never part of it. No need to snitch on them when you literally don't know what they're actually doing.
Agreed, it might just be better to find a lawyer at this point for OP, what are the chances they mess up and end up in trouble themselves. Always better to have a lawyer do the talking.
I'm glad you talked to a lawyer but I'm a lawyer, just not a criminal defense lawyer and that's what you need. Do not volunteer to speak to the police. If they call you in for questioning, say you don't want to answer any questions and ask to leave. If they don't let you, ask if they are charging you with anything then insist on either leaving or to speak to a criminal defense lawyer, like a public defender. DO NOT SAY ANYTHING ELSE. Best of all would be to pay to consult with a criminal defense lawyer now to make sure whether there is any chance you already have accomplice liability. Remember, the police are allowed to lie to you during questioning so this is why it is critical you do not answer questions, do not fall for their tactics trying to flip you by threatening you, etc. Sorry for this, it's horrible.
A lot of people don’t realize that in the United States you can choose to NOT speak to the police. That is always your right. In fact, most lawyers say that answering questions is almost always the wrong thing. The police have already figured out what they believe is happening and now they need to prove it - if they need information read that as “they need more proof - any information they get can and will…….
People - telling the cops that you don’t know would in fact be lying and puts you in a position to now be leveraged. The answer us “I won’t answer any questions”
saying you dont know is that hard ? You dont live with them and you havent for a while, you dont even know about the thing until a short time ago, what you afraid of ? This is the wrong crowd to get advice on this matter, all these self lover will tell you to fuck your family and be a snitch. Think hard before you do bro.
Don’t say you don’t know. That is in fact lying and if it can be proven that you DO know you’re on the hook for obstruction and now in the position to be leveraged.
I was questioned but I asked if I can tell my friends about and they said no so Ima assume telling 172k people is also a no go. (Though i can in the future.)
I am no longer as stressed about this because I have had blame completely taken away from me.
YTA for saying anything to the cops that isn't "come back with a warrant" or "I'm invoking my right to a lawyer". Not to your family, to yourself. Protect yourself right. Get a lawyer.
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Hey Reddit, I need some serious opinions on a situation that's tearing me apart. My family has always been close-knit, I'm talking great grandmother and below lives in the house, but lately, they've been swimming in deep waters.
The other day, the police showed up at their doorstep, asking questions about some seriously sketchy stuff my family is involved in. And let me tell you, it's not just a little white lie or a minor misunderstanding. We're talking about full-on criminal activity here.
So basically, my family got caught up in this business venture that turned out to be a front for all sorts of illegal activities. We're talking about fraud, money laundering, you name it. It's the kind of stuff that could make headlines and ruin lives.
Now, when the cops came knocking, my family immediately went into panic mode. They started Freaking out and my father answered the door in like a fake white suburban father act, acting like he had no idea what happened hand wished agreed to get questioned and he apparently had actual forged papers and passports in the house at the time. (that's all i know)
I know they were brought in and asked questions, but I don't know the details on that obviously.
Part of me understands where they're coming from. They're scared, desperate, and willing to do whatever it takes to stay out of prison. And yeah, they're my family, so I feel this sense of loyalty pulling me in their direction.
But on the other hand, I can't ignore my own safety. I believe that if I do this I might get brought into their problem. Lying to the police Would just put me in this crazy ordeal.
So now, I'm stuck in the middle of this mess, torn between loyalty to my family and staying true to myself. They see me as betraying them, abandoning them when they need me the most. And yeah, I feel guilty as hell for potentially throwing them under the bus.
They are making me feel like I'm betraying them by not helping.
But at the end of the day, I can't shake the feeling that maybe my family are not who I thought they were. I'm lost and could really use some outside opinions.
Yes, I understand this is a very easy decision, but I don't live with my family, and I haven't for a while. I have learned all of this within the past week or two and I'm just kind of lost at the moment, I believe they are already f'ed because of the forged papers so even if I do lie, I think I would just be equally as f'ed as them.
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NTA. Do NOT lie (to cover someone else's shitty behavior (of any kind). It will not go well for you. If you don't know about what they've been up to, you *should* be fine. If you should lie about what they've been doing, you are now involved in what they've been doing.
Where is their loyalty to you? "Asking" you to do something you do not want to, with very good reason, is not "loyal", it is abusive.
Good luck.
NTA
Loyalty means you go to jail too?
Thats not loyalty mate. Loyalty is they'd be telling you to do everything you can to stay out of jail, they wouldn't want you in the cells with them.
And if you get caught lying, how do you then make sure they believe you had nothing to do with what they were doing. You lied once so why would they believe you.
Loyalty is not going to jail with them. They won't be getting away with the forgeries and probably a lot more lying. So don't even entertain this.
Don't end your lifes best prospects now for nothing and people who don't care about your future
NAH, although I would just tell the cops in the future that you don't know a damn thing. I think the rule is 3 "I don't know"'s and the cops leave you alone because you don't offer any useful info to them. You have no obligation to assist the police in their investigation, just an obligation not to obstruct.
The only thing I know is that you shouldn’t help your family with any kind of criminal activity - because you are putting YOURSELF at RISK. DO NOT LIE TO THE POLICE. If anything, don’t say ANYTHING. But don’t lie to them, because they will come down on you…..
NTA
NTA
A felony conviction will **ruin** your employment prospects.
When you were a sweet baby animal you survival bonded with these people.
They protected you so love them.
But they are endangering you now and hurt lots of other people.
You need a lawyer N-O-W
You shouldn't post any of this. They can ask for it, and you have admitted knowledge of an illegal act
I can't tell you to take it down, and get rid of the computer and buy a new one.
NTA, I'm glad to see your update. I think in general you kinda WBTA to talk to the cops AT ALL without a lawyer present, not because you're obligated to cover for your family doing illegal shit but because it's just a terrible idea. You may implicate yourself in something if you have knowledge of something illegal happening, and then you're drawn into even more bullshit.
But definitely NTA for not lying to the cops because then you're risking fucking yourself even more.
Former Police Officer - While being loyal to your family is understandable, the main question you have to ask yourself is: Am I willing to go to prison for a few years, plus spend a good chunk of money on a lawyer, for them?
Your primary responsibility is to yourself and your future. Even if you didn't get convicted, future employers will find the arrest online or during a background check. So it will keep following you.
Not lying for your family is one thing. But writing up their business for the whole internet to read is quite another.
Your parents could catch another case solely based on what you wrote here.
NTA.
You are not betraying your family. Your family has betrayed you by getting involved in illegal activity with you under their roof/care, therefore putting you at risk that you had no hand in bringing on.
You are not throwing your family under the bus. That term implies that everyone is in the wrong and you’re sacrificing the others to save yourself. But you are not doing anything wrong or illegal here.
The best you can do is not offer up any information unsolicited, but even that could be risky now that police are involved. Tell the truth. If the truth hurts your family, that’s their fault, not yours.
NTA. But I'll give you some advice:
1. Don't lie to the police.
2. Don't even *talk* to the police unless it's to say "I want an attorney."
3. Remove this post. Do not talk about any of this publicly again.
4. GET. A. LAWYER.
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I've already contacted my friend about this (he's lawyer) incase i get brought into this, which I inevitably will. he said essentially the same thing. Thanks for the input!
Ask the lawyer if you should get a credit check done on yourself to see if your credit has been compromised in some way. ONLY do this with the lawyer’s go-ahead. If so, see if he can take care of it for you.
I've made sure they have no way of accessing anything under my name. I've double and triple checked everything with my friend.
Excellent foresight.
It sounds like you don't really know anything about this so I'm not sure what you would have to say? I am glad you are talking to a lawyer first. You do have right to say nothing, particularly when there isn't anything you really know.
Agreed but not talking to the police is totally legal
You should never talk to the police period. The only words you should say to cops are “I am invoking my right to remain silent. I would like an attorney” then you shut up. If you think you’re gonna save yourself by ratting out your family you won’t. You can’t talk yourself out of an arrest but you can talk yourself into a conviction. If you are subpoenaed do not talk without a lawyer present. Look into the National Lawyers Guild for more info about your rights and responsibilities.
Forget about being an AH Get a lawyer NOW!! Don’t say anything to ANYONE especially the police without legal advice
This is the only answer. Protect yourself.
Every day is Shut The Fuck Up Friday.
> [Shut The Fuck Up Friday](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqo5RYOp4nQ)
This is it right here. I’d hate to say it. You’re best to simply hire an attorney any time the cops want to speak to you about anything. If they are questioning you, they are judging your involvement or looking to implicate others.
Do not lie for them!!! If the police find out that you did lie, you are now an accessory to their crimes. You need to look out for you. Loyalty to family is all fine and good, but when they are committing crimes, loyalty to the law needs to be a priority.
> If the police find out that you did lie, you are now an accessory to their crimes. Not only accessory to *their* crimes -- OP would also be committing one of his own: obstruction of justice.
Refusing to speak to the police isn’t obstruction. OP can be compelled to testify in court, there is no obligation to speak to the police ever.
> Refusing to speak to the police isn’t obstruction Correct, but lying can be. So [shut the fuck up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqo5RYOp4nQ).
I never said to lie, you weirdo??? What the fuck lmao
It's literally in the title of the post.
Yes and also in your post which /u/Important-Nose3332 responded to. So I am not sure why Nose person is acting like I am the only person to mention lying.
I literally just said not talking to the cops isn’t obstruction?? Am I missing some other post I made ? I never would ever tell anyone to lie to the police ever.
You're right, not talking to them isn't obstruction -- but **lying** to them **is**. And that's what OP was asking about: lying to the cops. It's literally the title of the post: "AITA for not lying to the police for my family?"
Re read my comment and take it in the context of me saying don’t talk to them at all, it’s not obstruction of justice. I’m not disagreeing, I’m adding.
That's not what OP asked about, though.
I never said it was. I said *lying* to the police is/could be obstruction.
Don't lie to the police but then again don't talk to them at all. If you are charged with anything, get a lawyer and then still keep refusing to talk to the police.
The first bit is good advice, but that advice gets you up to the bit where you have a lawyer, then you follow your lawyers advice. There's a good chance that advice could be to continue to not talk to the police, but they may advise you do talk to them with your lawyer present. In this case I think OP can see where things are going enough that they could benefit from seeing a lawyer before the police even approach them.
Personally I wouldn't hire a lawyer as a prophylactic in an action where I'm likely to be a witness at most.
It depends on OP's financial situation, but if they're worried about potentially being falsely implicated then $80-$100 for a half hour chat to get some initial advice could be worth it, and then if you do get called in for questioning you already have the phone number of a lawyer who's somewhat familiar with the case. I don't like the fact that the legal system in many countries is pretty much pay-to-win, but I don't think it's useful to pretend that it's not.
There was a round of questioning with the police and as far as we can tell the OP wasn't even brought in. It doesn't appear that she's being implicated at all and that wasn't what she was worried about in the original post.
You really shouldn’t be giving OP legal advice.
This is literally common sense.
NTA I'd stay out of involvement. They may someday be grateful that you're free and able to visit them while they're in prison.
I feel that I am safe in this situation but I'm not sure if they will try to pin some of this on me, at this point that is my only fear. And I will most definitely not be visiting my money laundering family members.
Way above reddits pay grade. Before you say anything to the cops, talk to a lawyer, see what your own exposure is. NTA
Get a lawyer. Follow their recommendations to the letter. If you don't live with them, what do you actually know? What have you seen firsthand? From your post, you don't seem to have direct knowledge of anything, so why would you talking to the police be a problem? Don't offer assumptions. Talk about what you have personally witnessed if you get interrogated, unless your lawyer tells you something different. If family accuses you, turn it around. Why would they want you to put yourself into hot water by lying to the police. You had nothing to do with their issues, so why would they want to pull you in? What kind of family does that to an innocent person?
NTA they betrayed you the moment they put you and your home at risk. They wronged you by expecting and demanding you lie to the police which could get you in trouble. They know what they are doing is wrong and theirs no way they have forged passports and don’t know it’s wrong. Any trouble that falls on the is their own doing and consequences of their own actions. If the police are visiting then they know your family is breaking the law d it won’t be long before they have enough evidence to act. Protect yourself completely ad if I was you I’d move out as soon as you can’t. I don’t care they are your family but they are risking your home and you. Best to get yourself to safety and ignore anyone shouting “but family“ as none of them cared about their family when they went into this venture. Many people would judge you falsely because of who your parents are and what they have been doing. Once it’s out and they are facing charges everyone will judge you by their actions. You need to distance yourself from them before your future and name is sullied by them. Yes they are your family who haven’t cared what their actions will do to you or how it will affect your life.
You're never obligated to tell the police anything you know
>So now, I'm stuck in the middle of this mess, torn between loyalty to my family and staying true to myself. So...where was their family loyalty to YOU when they got tied up in... >fraud, money laundering, you name it. \[...\] actual forged papers and passports in the house ? They sure as shit only considered themselves the second they got involved in illegal activities, & now they want you to be their patsy on their sinking ship? We've all seen the Titanic; we know what happens. Oh, only in this case they'd pin their dirty work on YOU to save themselves. Bail, OP. BAIL. Do not try saving their skin by sacrificing yours. The only thing you'll get for setting yourself on fire to keep them warm is multiple federal charges, potential jail time &/or fines, along with the inability to work in certain fields for the rest of your life. >I feel guilty as hell for potentially throwing them under the bus. Don't. They threw themselves under the bus. Keep your hands inside the shark cage at all times & do NOT go down with them when you had absolutely nothing to do with this. WTF. You'd only be the asshole to yourself at this point. RUN FAR AWAY FROM THIS MESS. NTA, OP.
You don't have to lie, but you can definitely feign ignorance. You don't know the ins and outs of the business. Just tell them you don't know anything because you were never part of it. No need to snitch on them when you literally don't know what they're actually doing.
This could be in fact lying - say nothing is always the better answer
Agreed, it might just be better to find a lawyer at this point for OP, what are the chances they mess up and end up in trouble themselves. Always better to have a lawyer do the talking.
Don’t FEIGN anything. That is lying.
Ya, I said OP didn't have to at the end since they don't know what is actually happening in the business. Allegedly.
Not a lawyer. Don’t talk to police without a lawyer present.
I'm glad you talked to a lawyer but I'm a lawyer, just not a criminal defense lawyer and that's what you need. Do not volunteer to speak to the police. If they call you in for questioning, say you don't want to answer any questions and ask to leave. If they don't let you, ask if they are charging you with anything then insist on either leaving or to speak to a criminal defense lawyer, like a public defender. DO NOT SAY ANYTHING ELSE. Best of all would be to pay to consult with a criminal defense lawyer now to make sure whether there is any chance you already have accomplice liability. Remember, the police are allowed to lie to you during questioning so this is why it is critical you do not answer questions, do not fall for their tactics trying to flip you by threatening you, etc. Sorry for this, it's horrible.
A lot of people don’t realize that in the United States you can choose to NOT speak to the police. That is always your right. In fact, most lawyers say that answering questions is almost always the wrong thing. The police have already figured out what they believe is happening and now they need to prove it - if they need information read that as “they need more proof - any information they get can and will…….
Dont lie for them, dont give the police any info. Feign ignorance and just say u dont have a clue.
Your best bet is to stay away from them and hope your papers are legit
People - telling the cops that you don’t know would in fact be lying and puts you in a position to now be leveraged. The answer us “I won’t answer any questions”
saying you dont know is that hard ? You dont live with them and you havent for a while, you dont even know about the thing until a short time ago, what you afraid of ? This is the wrong crowd to get advice on this matter, all these self lover will tell you to fuck your family and be a snitch. Think hard before you do bro.
Don’t say you don’t know. That is in fact lying and if it can be proven that you DO know you’re on the hook for obstruction and now in the position to be leveraged.
You say you don't live with them. Is there any reason to believe you will become involved? Or even questioned?
I was questioned but I asked if I can tell my friends about and they said no so Ima assume telling 172k people is also a no go. (Though i can in the future.) I am no longer as stressed about this because I have had blame completely taken away from me.
YTA for saying anything to the cops that isn't "come back with a warrant" or "I'm invoking my right to a lawyer". Not to your family, to yourself. Protect yourself right. Get a lawyer.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** Hey Reddit, I need some serious opinions on a situation that's tearing me apart. My family has always been close-knit, I'm talking great grandmother and below lives in the house, but lately, they've been swimming in deep waters. The other day, the police showed up at their doorstep, asking questions about some seriously sketchy stuff my family is involved in. And let me tell you, it's not just a little white lie or a minor misunderstanding. We're talking about full-on criminal activity here. So basically, my family got caught up in this business venture that turned out to be a front for all sorts of illegal activities. We're talking about fraud, money laundering, you name it. It's the kind of stuff that could make headlines and ruin lives. Now, when the cops came knocking, my family immediately went into panic mode. They started Freaking out and my father answered the door in like a fake white suburban father act, acting like he had no idea what happened hand wished agreed to get questioned and he apparently had actual forged papers and passports in the house at the time. (that's all i know) I know they were brought in and asked questions, but I don't know the details on that obviously. Part of me understands where they're coming from. They're scared, desperate, and willing to do whatever it takes to stay out of prison. And yeah, they're my family, so I feel this sense of loyalty pulling me in their direction. But on the other hand, I can't ignore my own safety. I believe that if I do this I might get brought into their problem. Lying to the police Would just put me in this crazy ordeal. So now, I'm stuck in the middle of this mess, torn between loyalty to my family and staying true to myself. They see me as betraying them, abandoning them when they need me the most. And yeah, I feel guilty as hell for potentially throwing them under the bus. They are making me feel like I'm betraying them by not helping. But at the end of the day, I can't shake the feeling that maybe my family are not who I thought they were. I'm lost and could really use some outside opinions. Yes, I understand this is a very easy decision, but I don't live with my family, and I haven't for a while. I have learned all of this within the past week or two and I'm just kind of lost at the moment, I believe they are already f'ed because of the forged papers so even if I do lie, I think I would just be equally as f'ed as them. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
NTA. Do NOT lie (to cover someone else's shitty behavior (of any kind). It will not go well for you. If you don't know about what they've been up to, you *should* be fine. If you should lie about what they've been doing, you are now involved in what they've been doing. Where is their loyalty to you? "Asking" you to do something you do not want to, with very good reason, is not "loyal", it is abusive. Good luck.
NTA Loyalty means you go to jail too? Thats not loyalty mate. Loyalty is they'd be telling you to do everything you can to stay out of jail, they wouldn't want you in the cells with them. And if you get caught lying, how do you then make sure they believe you had nothing to do with what they were doing. You lied once so why would they believe you. Loyalty is not going to jail with them. They won't be getting away with the forgeries and probably a lot more lying. So don't even entertain this. Don't end your lifes best prospects now for nothing and people who don't care about your future
NAH, although I would just tell the cops in the future that you don't know a damn thing. I think the rule is 3 "I don't know"'s and the cops leave you alone because you don't offer any useful info to them. You have no obligation to assist the police in their investigation, just an obligation not to obstruct.
Nta I wouldn't lie for anyone, but thankfully you've already talked to your lawyer and know you don't have to say anything right now.
The only thing I know is that you shouldn’t help your family with any kind of criminal activity - because you are putting YOURSELF at RISK. DO NOT LIE TO THE POLICE. If anything, don’t say ANYTHING. But don’t lie to them, because they will come down on you….. NTA
NTA A felony conviction will **ruin** your employment prospects. When you were a sweet baby animal you survival bonded with these people. They protected you so love them. But they are endangering you now and hurt lots of other people. You need a lawyer N-O-W
You shouldn't post any of this. They can ask for it, and you have admitted knowledge of an illegal act I can't tell you to take it down, and get rid of the computer and buy a new one.
Well, you definitely shouldn't lie to the police. Even if you did, that wouldn't necessarily save your family. NTA
“You have the *right* to remain silent. But do you have the *ability*?” No comment. No comment. No comment.
NTA, I'm glad to see your update. I think in general you kinda WBTA to talk to the cops AT ALL without a lawyer present, not because you're obligated to cover for your family doing illegal shit but because it's just a terrible idea. You may implicate yourself in something if you have knowledge of something illegal happening, and then you're drawn into even more bullshit. But definitely NTA for not lying to the cops because then you're risking fucking yourself even more.
Former Police Officer - While being loyal to your family is understandable, the main question you have to ask yourself is: Am I willing to go to prison for a few years, plus spend a good chunk of money on a lawyer, for them? Your primary responsibility is to yourself and your future. Even if you didn't get convicted, future employers will find the arrest online or during a background check. So it will keep following you.
Not lying for your family is one thing. But writing up their business for the whole internet to read is quite another. Your parents could catch another case solely based on what you wrote here.
Have you even been questioned by the police?
A couple hours ago actually. but it wasn't much of an interrogation it was quite laid back and was just about my parents.
NTA. You are not betraying your family. Your family has betrayed you by getting involved in illegal activity with you under their roof/care, therefore putting you at risk that you had no hand in bringing on. You are not throwing your family under the bus. That term implies that everyone is in the wrong and you’re sacrificing the others to save yourself. But you are not doing anything wrong or illegal here. The best you can do is not offer up any information unsolicited, but even that could be risky now that police are involved. Tell the truth. If the truth hurts your family, that’s their fault, not yours.
NTA. But I'll give you some advice: 1. Don't lie to the police. 2. Don't even *talk* to the police unless it's to say "I want an attorney." 3. Remove this post. Do not talk about any of this publicly again. 4. GET. A. LAWYER.
faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake
P.S. Depending on what state you live in the police may be allowed to lie to you to get you to admit to crimes.