White collar crimes are serious crimes that can result in serious penalties and consequences for accused individuals. Because white collar crimes can result in incarceration and fines, accused individuals should be familiar with what are considered white collar crimes and how to defend themselves against white collar criminal charges.
White collar criminal charges typically involve a component of alleged fraud. Fraud typically involves deceit that is motivated by financial gain. Examples of white collar crimes include:
Embezzlement
Embezzlement involves the appropriation of property, typically money, that does not belong to the accused individual but that the accused individual is rightfully in possession of. An example is an employees who embezzles funds from their employer.
Tax evasion
Criminal tax evasion includes when the accused individual deliberately attempts to avoid payment of taxes they would otherwise owe.
Money laundering
Money laundering is another example of white call crime. It involves the illegal process of concealing the illegal origins of money by passing it through a complex series of banking transfers and transactions.
Securities fraud and insider trading
Examples of securities fraud can include insider trading and Ponzi schemes. Insider trading is the most common example of securities fraud. Insider trading involves making trades based on inside information obtained because of a fiduciary position the accused individual has.
If an accused individual finds themselves facing white collar criminal charges, it is necessary for them to understand how to develop a criminal defense response that will help and protect them. To do that, they should be familiar with what is considered a white collar crime.