You may have heard of some large scale white-collar crimes, including Ponzi schemes. White-collar crimes are usually non-violent and can involve health care fraud, mortgage fraud, and money laundering. White-collar criminals can be tried for laundering money from one person to hundreds of people, but the accused reserve the right to a criminal defense attorney. Below are four of the most common questions regarding white-collar crime.

Commonly Asked Questions About White-Collar Crime

What is white-collar crime?

White-collar crimes constitute non-violent offenses that normally involve financial misconduct. The person in question usually works a job that grants access to other people’s money and finagles the system in a way to gain more than they have a legal claim to. Criminal defense attorneys work with defendants who have been accused of tax evasion, bribery, fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and insider trading. The victims of white-collar crimes are not physically harmed, but they are taken advantage of and stolen from. Since white-collar crimes include small and large scale money loss, many cases take place, and law-abiding citizens can lose billions of dollars. 

Are white-collar crimes prosecuted in federal or state court?

Most cases are tried in federal court because many white-collar crimes cross state lines. People can take advantage of others through mail, email, or online fraud and steal large amounts of money without ever coming into physical contact. Some white-collar cases stay within the state court system, and others even merge into both state and federal court. Each court case will depend on the means by which the defendant stole money, who they stole from, and the amount they stole.

Should I hire a criminal defense attorney? If so, when?

If you are facing criminal charges for a white-collar crime, you will benefit from hiring an attorney as soon as possible. The criminal defense attorneys can make sure to uphold all of your rights and hopefully work toward a negotiation or settlement without having you enter into any formal prosecution. Hiring help will ensure you build a defense that can hold up in court and include all necessary events and pieces of evidence for your case.

Will I get off more easily since it is a non-violent offense?

White-collar crimes are not treated with any more restraint than violent offenses. Prison sentences normally end up being just as long for violent criminals as non-violent ones. These financial crimes can affect many people, and they lose millions of dollars in the process. The prosecution will regard these criminals with equal justice for their unethical behavior.

If you’re facing charges for a white-collar crime, contact David S. Washington Jr. in Hamilton, OH. For more than two decades, this seasoned criminal defense attorney has been helping clients charged with financial crimes, as well as traffic violations, manslaughter, and other personal injury cases. Visit the law firm’s website for information about their services, and call (513) 751-1400 to schedule a consultation.