“White collar crime” is a common term, most often associated with corporate America. Yet, it’s not just big-time players on Wall Street who can be found guilty of this type of offense. A broad distinction, the definition of white collar crime encompasses various offenses revolving around finances, trade secrets and fraud. While non-violent in nature, these crimes can still lead to serious penalties and punishments at the state and federal level. Read on to learn more about common types of white collar crimes which may even occur in your community, and contact our experienced Plano white collar crime attorney at The Crowder Law Firm, P.C. if you or someone you know has been accused of one of these offenses.
Common Examples of White Collar Crimes Include:
- Fraud: The first offense usually associated with white collar crime, fraud, involves any kind of lying or deception designed to benefit the person committing it. Some of the kinds of fraud you may be with familiar with are insurance fraud, workers’ compensation fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, and tax fraud. Besides occurring inside the corporate world, fraud also occurs when a person’s information is stolen, in cases of debit or credit card fraud. A related charge to this is identity theft, which involves taking a portion of someone’s personal information and using it for your own financial gain.
- Bribery: Bribery is the practice of offering another person something of value to influence a transaction. The goal of a bribe is to sway another individual’s decision-making, in the hope it will have a favorable outcome for you. It may involve the exchange of monetary compensation, assets, or services. None of these things actually need to be exchanged for a person to be found guilty of bribery, as merely offering someone any of them can be enough to lead to a bribery charge. Even telling someone to offer these things on your behalf may constitute bribery, regardless of the outcome.
- Embezzlement: Embezzlement is stealing on the part of an individual from their employer, or from another party to whom they owe some responsibility. For instance, an employee who steals property from the company they work at may be found guilty of embezzlement. But a family member who takes funds from a relative whom they are legally required to care for can also be tried on an embezzlement charge.
- Money laundering: This crime involves hiding funds that were obtained illegally in order to conceal their source. The illegal sale of drugs or weapons, for instance, may lead to money laundering charges. This practice is commonly done by filtering monies through businesses or real estate transactions, or by purchasing expensive items to get rid of illegal funds.
- Insider Trading: A crime specific to the financial sector, insider trading is the use of confidential or unreleased knowledge to gain an advantage in trading publicly held shares of a corporation. Employees within a corporation can be found guilty of insider trading if they use their access unfairly, as can other individuals who have explicit knowledge of a corporation’s inner-workings.
- Extortion: Extortion is the practice of obtaining financial or other kinds of compensation by acts of force or threat. For instance, a criminal enterprise that forces businesses to pay for protection or other services can be found guilty of extortion. Money or other compensation does not necessarily have to be exchanged for someone to be convicted of extortion, as the mere threat of violence may be enough.
- Blackmail: Threatening to harm someone by using information that could negatively affect their reputation unless you are compensated financially or otherwise is the basis for blackmail.
- Forgery: To forge something is to make a copy of a document, signature, banknote, art work, or other item of value. To be guilty of the crime of forgery, you must attempt to use this copy for your own personal gain by concealing its inauthenticity.
Call a White Collar Crime Attorney Today
Because white collar crime is such an expansive offense, you will need a lawyer who knows the ins and outs of criminal defense law to make sure you have the best chance of winning your case. Luckily, our attorney at The Crowder Law Firm, P.C. has spent years securing favorable results for clients all across Texas. With experience defending state and federal charges, and a long list of not guilty verdicts and dismissals, you know you’re in good hands when you hire The Crowder Law Firm, P.C. To make sure you are completely confident in your decision, we even offer free case evaluations, so you always feel confident in your choice of representation. At The Crowder Law Firm, P.C., we believe that everyone deserves a fair shot in court. Call now and let us give that fair shot to you.
Dial 214-303-9600 today for skilled legal counsel, or contact us online for more information.