Heiferman & Associates discusses what a white-collar crime is.

What Is a White-Collar Crime?

“White-collar crime” refers to financial crimes. White-collar crime encompasses various forms of embezzlement, fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and more. Law enforcement takes these crimes extremely seriously, and the consequences of a conviction can be severe. Therefore, if you have been charged with any of the following types of white-collar crime, it is imperative that you contact a New York white-collar crime defense attorney, (or federal white-collar crime defense attorney) as soon as possible. 

Common types of white-collar crime

  • Embezzlement – Embezzlement is the theft of funds placed in trust or belonging to an employer. For example, when an employee siphons money from his or her employer into a personal account, this is a form of embezzlement. In addition, an investment advisor who improperly uses client funds commits embezzlement. 
  • Tax Evasion Tax evasion is a crime in which an individual knowingly avoids paying taxes that are legally owed to the government. Examples of tax evasion include filing tax forms with false information and hiding assets to avoid tax liability. 
  • Securities Fraud – Securities fraud is a form of white-collar crime that primarily involves misrepresenting information investors use to make decisions. There are many types of securities fraud, including:
    • Misleading investors about a company’s health, prospects, or finances
    • Making false or misleading statements in public reports from publicly traded companies 
    • Insider trading, which occurs when an individual with inside information about an investment or company makes trades based on that information
  • Money Laundering – Money laundering involves filtering illegally obtained money through a series of transactions in order to make the money appear legitimate.
  • Other types of white-collar crime – There are several additional types of white-collar crime, including:
    • Insurance fraud and mortgage fraud – These types of fraud respectively involve fraudulently collecting on an insurance policy or misrepresenting information on a mortgage loan application to secure a loan.
    • Ponzi schemes – A Ponzi scheme is a form of fraud that pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors. 

Contact a white-collar criminal defense attorney today 

If you have been charged with a white-collar crime, you face a number of serious consequences. Therefore, in order to ensure that you receive the most aggressive defense possible, you should contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible. When you hire Heiferman and Associates, PLLC, to fight your charges, you will benefit from attorneys who have insight into the tactics the government uses to prosecute individuals accused of white-collar crimes. Regardless of the charges you face, our aggressive and experienced New York, New Jersey and Federal District Court attorneys will stand by you every step of the way, working to preserve your future and your reputation. If you have been charged with a state or federal crime, you need the powerful representation we are prepared to provide. Please contact our office today for a free evaluation of your case.