Those who have been accused of white collar crimes, such as forgery, insurance fraud, and others, may face charges that necessitate legal protection and defensive strategy. It is crucial that those who are facing charges for crimes like these have experienced legal representation that has a record of positive results for their clients. As a white collar crime lawyer from our friends at the Morales Law Firm can attest, white collar crimes encompass a range of nonviolent offenses that are motivated by financial gain, and committed by those who have high-status or power to do so.
A person may be accused of unethical acts or choices related to abusing access to inside information or collusion. White collar crimes can put defendants at risk for serious consequences on the criminal level, in addition to permanent damage to their reputation. Here is a more extensive list of white collar crime examples:
- Mortgage Fraud
- Welfare Fraud
- Workers Compensation Fraud
- Receiving Stolen Property
- Computer Access and Fraud
- False Financial Statements
- Grand Theft
- Income Tax Fraud
- Insider Trading
- Money Laundering
- Extortion
- Bribery
- Health Care Fraud
- Credit Card Fraud
- Commercial Burglary
- Bank Fraud
- Securities Fraud
- Conspiracy
- Antitrust
- Pyramid Schemes
- Political Corruption
In general, the offenses listed above are types of crimes related to theft or deception that career professionals may commit, and can be prosecuted at the federal and/or state level (sometimes both). The penalties that someone may face if they are convicted depends on various factors, like the amount of money, the manner the money was obtained, the individual’s past criminal record, and factors of the crime. Usually, there is one common thread that is typically present in cases like these, and it’s that white collar schemes take place slowly over time.
White collar crimes are often federal offenses that get prosecuted by entities such as the Secret Service, Postal Service, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Customs, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Since these white collar crimes can violate both state and federal laws, there are a myriad of punishments that can result. For this reason, it is important that those accused get legal assistance immediately so their rights can be protected and they are ensured a fair judicial process. The penalties for a white collar crime can be as variable as the offenses themselves. The court will assess the details of the cause and the harm caused when inflicting punishments and sentencing for a person convicted of the white collar crime.
White collar crimes tend to be investigated using highly complex methods and prosecuting these crimes requires in-depth examinations into the individual’s choices, plans, and discovered proof. The agencies that investigate white collar crimes are the FBI, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). State law enforcement can also perform investigations into these crimes if it adversely affects local citizens. As a lawyer from Morales Law Firm has seen before, a person may be investigated for weeks or months after the supposed offense occurred, without that person being privy to what is happening.