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Persons charged with a white-collar crime can benefit from the knowledge that an experienced NJ criminal defense lawyer brings to the table.
The term “white-collar crime” includes a number of non-violent crimes that are typically motivated by financial gain or profit. These are corporate crimes and, very often, involve all kinds of fraud. Some examples of white-collar crimes include:
- Credit card fraud;
- Tax evasion;
- Counterfeiting;
- Money laundering;
- Antitrust violations;
- Consumer fraud;
- Securities fraud;
- Insider trading;
- Embezzlement; and
- Bank fraud.
White-collar crimes can be prosecuted by both state and federal governments. However, most white-collar crimes violate federal statutes, and fall under the purview of the federal government. Many of these crimes are, therefore, investigated and prosecuted by federal agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. This can pose a challenge to persons charged with white-collar crimes because federal agencies are invested with extensive resources, and they have the expertise and experience to investigate these crimes and prosecute them.
The nature of these charges is such that a person, like a businessman, could be committing a white-collar crime without even being been aware of it. For instance, merely having knowledge of a criminal act can result in charges of conspiracy being brought against you.
White-collar crimes can be charged either as crimes (also known as felonies) or disorderly persons offenses (also known as misdemeanors). Many white-collar offenses do not end in prison time. However, this can depend on the specifics of the charge involved. With most white-collar charges, prosecutors gravitate toward restitution as punishment. Many white-collar crimes involve tougher penalties, however, including prison time. In fact, for certain kinds of white-collar crimes, prison time can exceed that prescribed for certain violent crimes.
If you are under investigation for embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, tax evasion or other white-collar crimes, consult with an experienced NJ criminal defense lawyer immediately.
