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White-collar crimes that could land you in prison

On Behalf of | Sep 1, 2021 | Criminal Defense

White-collar crimes are non-violent crimes committed for financial gain. People who commit white-collar crimes obtain money or property through fraud or other deceitful tactics. In some instances, they involve a violation of trust bestowed upon the perpetrators.

The penalties for white-collar crimes can be serious. Depending on your state and the specifics of your case, you could be staring at felony charges. Some common examples of white-collar crimes include:

Corporate fraud

Corporate fraud refers to unethical or illegal activities carried out by a company or an individual acting in their official capacity. These deceptive actions can be in the form of falsifying a company’s financial position or self-dealing among insiders at the company.

Money laundering

Money laundering involves concealing or disguising the proceeds of crime to legitimize their origin. It goes hand-in-hand with crimes such as wire fraud, drug trafficking, terrorism, or human trafficking, all of which provide substantial crime proceeds, which then need to be ‘cleaned.’

Securities and commodities fraud

Securities and commodities fraud occur in the world of investments. Here, investors are defrauded of their investments, money or property through misinformation or other fraudulent dealings. Such crimes are more complex than others on this list, and they tend to have the most extensive financial footprint in terms of the number of people affected and the amount of money involved. For instance, the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme conned investors across the country out of billions of dollars.

Other examples of white-collar crimes that could land you in prison are embezzlement, forgery, and identity theft, among others. If you are facing charges relating to white-collar crimes, it is very important to take them seriously. The consequences can be life-changing, and it is essential to learn about and protect your legal rights.

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