White-Collar Crime: What You Need to Know

November 9, 2019

The History of White Collar Crimes

The stereotypical criminal isn’t one who is financially stable with a six-figure salary, but you’d be surprised how many financial crimes are committed across the nation by business professionals. In 1939, the FBI began using the phrase “white-collar crime” to describe these types of criminal acts. What are the most commonly committed types of white collar crime, and how can you defend yourself from a criminal charge?

What’s White Collar Crime?

White collar crimes are motivated by financial gain, and they’re committed by business professionals or government workers. Typically, the suspect is already in a financially well-off position, but they intend to gain more or secure some type of advantage by committing fraudulent acts.

In the past, society assumed these types of crimes were less serious than others because of a lack of violence or a real victim. Today, financial fraud is treated more severely by courts. It’s established that financial fraud isn’t a victimless crime.

Most Common White Collar Crimes

There are several types of white-collar crimes but all involve a financial motive. Here are some of the most common types of white collar crime:

Insider trading, securities fraud, and computer fraud can all fall under this scope as well. These acts are all regulated by state and federal law. Depending on the scope of the crime, investigators within the FBI could get involved in the investigation.

Defending Yourself from White Collar Crime Accusations

If you’ve been accused of committing a white collar crime, then you need to take the allegations seriously. Most white-collar crimes are considered felony offenses, so they carry heavy penalties. A conviction could result in significant fines or even time behind bars. Here are two of the main strategies used to defend someone accused of a white-collar crime:

Lack of intent
Entrapment

Lack of intent means that you didn’t realize what you were doing was a crime. To be found guilty, you must have committed the act willfully and intentionally. Entrapment means that you were coerced into committing the crime by law enforcement agents.

Contact an Experienced Summit Criminal Defense Lawyer About Your White Collar Criminal Charges in New Jersey

Were you arrested or charged with white collar crimes in New Jersey? The consequences of a conviction could be severe, leaving you with a permanent criminal record and possibly even sending you to jail. That is why you need to speak with a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible about your case. The attorneys at Zegas Law have successfully represented clients charged with white collar crimes in Newark, Summit and throughout New Jersey. Call or fill out the online contact form to schedule a consultation with a member of our legal team. We have an office conveniently located at 60 Morris Turnpike, Summit.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.

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