White Collar Crimes are non-violent, financially motivated, usually for personal gain. These crimes often refer to individuals in a position to be handling large sums of money on behalf of a business or client, and taking advantage of that position in some way.

Areas included in the category of white collar crimes are: tax evasion, insider trading, insurance fraud, bribery, embezzlement, and money laundering, but also include international business areas as outlined by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The FCPA prohibits American businesses from making payments to government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business and contracts in foreign countries. Additionally, it prohibits third-party payments, including joint-venture partnerships, in which payment is made to a third party with the knowledge that some or all of that payment will be passed on to a foreign government official as a bribe.

Some examples of white collar crimes include:

• Fraud: When an employee lies about a company’s facts to gain financial gain
• Mortgage and financial institution fraud: When criminals target banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions
• Money laundering: When a criminal’s financial proceeds are separated from their source and made to appear legitimate
• Intellectual property theft or piracy: When someone steals or pirates intellectual property
• Economic espionage: When someone engages in economic espionage
• Health-care fraud: When an individual intentionally deceives the health care system to receive illegal benefits or payments.
• Intellectual Property Theft/Piracy: When someone steals an idea, creative expression, or invention from an individual or a company. Examples include stealing patents, copyrights, trademarks, or trade secrets.

Any business listed in the U.S. Stock Exchange or other individuals conducting business from within the United States would be reviewed within these standards if suspected of a white collar crime.

If you or a loved one are looking for a white collar criminal attorney, call (303) 948-1489 to speak to qualified attorneys to work on your white collar criminal charges.