White Collar Crimes Defense Attorney
White Collar crime is a broad and often misused term describing generally non-violent theft or fraud for financial gain. The non-violent aspect, however, does not lessen the seriousness of the charge. A white collar criminal conviction has the same penalties as many other felony charges, including substantial fines, jail time, business forfeiture and a permanent criminal record. It is also not uncommon for many of these penalties to financially bankrupt a person. In addition, the circumstances of these crimes can land someone in a federal court room with even more serious consequences, including federal prison.
White collar crimes are charged almost exclusively at the federal level. The differences between the state and federal court systems are vast. But in general, federal crimes are far more severe and carry much greater punishments than state crimes. Furthermore, there are extremely harsh sentencing guidelines at the federal level that often include mandatory minimum penalties. Though under the First Step Act, non-violent offenders can secure early release for good behavior.
If you are currently under investigation for alleged white collar criminal activity, your career, your reputation and your very freedom may be at stake. The best course of action is to hire New Orleans white collar crime attorney Elizabeth B. Carpenter. Ms. Carpenter is a skilled trial lawyer with experience in the investigation of white collar criminal cases and the protection of a clients’ legal rights, especially after the FBI, US Customs or other federal agencies have become involved.
Federal White Collar Crime Defense
Some of the primary white collar crimes today include:
- Medicare Fraud / Insurance Fraud
- Money Laundering / Racketeering
- Consumer Fraud / Misrepresentation
- Embezzlement
- Counterfeiting / Consumer Goods
- Identity – ID / Credit Card Theft
- Extortion – Bribery
- Mail – Wire Fraud / Computer Fraud
- Mortgage Fraud / Real Estate Fraud
- Bank Fraud / Forgery
As you can see, most of the above crimes involve some form of dishonesty in financial settings that can be accomplished via the Internet or telephone. Most of these crimes also involve misrepresentation (such as identity theft) or impropriety (such as price gouging). The underlying trend of dishonesty in these crimes – in addition to the large amounts of money often at stake in these matters – demonstrate the reasons these charges are so severe and charged at the federal level.
The victims of these crimes are often third parties that are seeking justice for alleged wrongdoing. However, there are many defenses available to those accused of white collar crime, varying based on the charges in question and the circumstances of the case. If you were working at the direction of someone else, for example, or if you did not know or have reason to know that your actions were contributing to unlawful activity, you may have a valid legal defense to charges for a white collar crime.
White collar offenses are typically among the most complex and complicated to handle, but are often quite defensible. Criminalizing conduct which should be handled in civil courts and not criminal courts happens frequently and issues such as intent and knowledge are some of the critical factors to be evaluated when defending white collar cases. Likewise, an essential part of any defense strategy is conducting a thorough investigation. Ms. Carpenter has an experienced network of investigators, consultants, analysts, forensic accountants and other experts to assist her in preparing the best defense in white collar criminal matters. She strives to minimize the risks to her client’s reputation, their business and their financial security that can be associated with an indictment for a white collar criminal offense.
Contact: White Collar Crime Defense Attorney New Orleans
If you or someone you know is under investigation for either a state or federal white collar offense in the New Orleans area, we strongly suggest that you seek the advice of a lawyer who has the background, experience and knowledge to handle these types of matters. Do not gamble with your future, contact New Orleans criminal attorney Elizabeth B. Carpenter today to schedule a consultation: 504-599-5955 Available 24/7!