People often misunderstand the nature of white-collar criminal charges. Despite the fact that financial crimes may seem less serious than other types of crimes, such as murder or aggravated assault, the penalties can be steep. There are several different types of white-collar crimes, and all of them come with the possibility of significant time behind bars and other consequences.
In most cases, white-collar crimes are money-related crimes, typically involving deception or theft of assets or information. These are usually complex cases, as many types of financial crimes involve the internet, and it can take months to fully investigate these cases. If you are facing allegations of any type of white-collar criminal activity, you will want to take immediate action and start working on your defense strategy.
What are you up against?
It’s smart to know exactly what you are up against so that you can better understand the prosecution’s approach, the evidence that may be used and how you can develop the right approach for your defense plan. The most common types of white-collar crimes include:
- Embezzlement – This happens when someone trusted with someone else’s money takes that money and uses it for his or her personal financial gain.
- Money laundering – This type of crime takes place when a person hides illegally gained money through a series of financial transactions.
- Tax evasion – This takes place when a person takes steps to intentionally avoid paying taxes or the full amount he or she owes to the IRS.
- Fraud – This takes place when a person uses deception to gain access to money or sensitive information.
White-collar cases often involve both state and federal charges. This means the stakes are high for you, and you will find significant benefit in working with an attorney who understands how these cases work and how to defend against these specific types of charges.
Your future on the line
There is a lot at stake when facing allegations or formal charges of white-collar crime. You will want to work diligently to defend yourself and protect your rights, even if you are only under investigation at this point. Connecticut defendants charged with financial crimes have the right to a presumption of innocence and to vigorously defend themselves against all accusations.