When You are Facing Federal White Collar Crime Charges

Although there’s no violence involved in white collar crimes, they do cause substantial harm. The government, therefore, pursues such charges zealously. These are offenses that succeed as a result of deception and the abuse of other’s trust. When the criminal activity crosses state lines or occurs on federal property, it becomes an issue that is investigated and prosecuted by agencies such as the IRS, the FBI, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). If you are facing federal white collar crime charges, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney right away.

Some White Collar Crimes

There are multiple activities that fit into the category of federal white collar crimes.  Some of the most common include:

1. Bribery: Endeavoring to influence individuals in positions of power or trust with financial incentives;
2. Mail fraud:  Abusing the U.S. Postal Service to participate in fraudulent actions for financial gain;
3. Embezzlement: Misappropriating the assets or funds of people after being entrusted to manage them;
4. Wire fraud: Using electronic communications such as the internet, email, etc., to engage in duplicitous activities in order to achieve financial gain.

The Federal Whistleblower Pilot Program

In an effort to disclose and ultimately prosecute corporate crime, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated a Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program. Whistleblowers are encouraged to chronicle fraudulent activity, and, if the information they provide leads to a conviction, may eventually be awarded a portion of forfeited assets.

Penalties  

Financial collapse can be devastating for individuals and businesses alike after being duped by a white collar criminal. The country forks over $300 billion+ every year, so prosecutors are quite intent on getting convictions. There are a range of penalties for a guilty verdict, which become more serious as the level of financial harm increases. They include any combination of the following:

1. Home detentions;
2. Confinement within the community;
3. Fines;
4. Paying prosecution costs in full;
5. Restitution for a portion of, up to all losses of the victim;
6. Property forfeiture of anything related to the illegal actions;
7. Supervised release;
8. Imprisonment.

Defending Charges

Your skillful and creative defense attorney will examine the prosecution’s case and decide on a defense strategy that may include, among others:

1. You, too, were duped by others and were unaware that fraud was underfoot;
2. There was no proximate cause;
3. You had no intent to defraud.

Defending Your Rights

If you are facing federal white-collar charges, you are facing serious changes to the life you know. Now, more than ever, you need a strong, capable defense. At Lobo Law our knowledgeable Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys always fight for the best possible outcomes for our clients.  To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation in our Las Vegas office today.

Source:

justice.gov/criminal/criminal-division-corporate-whistleblower-awards-pilot-program