In the realm of criminal law, the term “white collar crime” is frequently encountered, yet its definition and significance may not always be clear. When many people think of crimes they think of things like robbery, burglary assault or other kinds of criminal acts. A white collar crime is wholly different and normally involve acts of deceit or violations of trust. The violations are normally in the context of a business or business transactions. Where a normal crime involves more tangible acts a white collar crime requires a financial investigation. In this article we will take a deeper dive into this kind of crime. We will also look at some of the implications surrounding it.
Defining White Collar Crime:
White collar crime encompasses a broad spectrum of non-violent offenses committed by individuals or organizations in positions of trust or authority. This kind of offense is usually done in the context of business, finance, or government. Unlike so called street crimes, which involve physical force or theft or violence, white collar crimes are characterized by deception, manipulation, or abuse of power for financial gain.
Some White Collar Crimes in Oklahoma:
- Fraud: This includes various forms of deception to obtain money, property, or services through false pretenses. This is broadly defined and can include, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts. Some examples are things like securities fraud, credit or mortgage fraud, Medicaid or Medicare fraud, and insurance claim fraud.
- Embezzlement: Embezzlement involves the misappropriation or theft of funds or property entrusted to one’s care or management. The important element of this crime is the entrustment. An example of this is when your employer divert funds from the business to themselves.
- Insider Trading: This is closely related to securities fraud. It is generally charged as Federal crimes. Insider trading occurs when individuals trade stocks or securities based on non-public, material information about a company, in breach of their fiduciary duty or duty of confidentiality. This unfair advantage can lead to illegal profits and undermine market integrity.
- Bribery and Corruption: Bribery is generally viewed as a crime of corruption. It can and often does involve government officials or representative. This crime involves offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving something of value in exchange for influence, favors, or preferential treatment. Corruption refers to the abuse of public office or authority for personal gain or to benefit others illegally.
- Money Laundering: Money laundering involves the concealment, conversion, or transfer of proceeds from illegal activities to make them appear legitimate. This typically involves a series of complex financial transactions to obscure the origin of illicit funds.
Prosecuting Crimes in Wagoner
This kind of prosecution is done either in Federal or State Court by a Federal prosecutor or an assistant district attorney in Wagoner County. If the violations involve federal statutes the Feds are more likely to get involved. Otherwise the State will move the case forward. A typical prosecution in this kind of case usually involves numbers. This means the state needs to prove that the accused in fact misappropriated money entrusted to them. An example might include payment ledgers or other accounting books that show the misappropriation of funds. In all financial crime cases the prosecutor is always looking to make the victim whole. This means restitution is a part of any deals that may be done.
Criminal Lawyers In Wagoner County:
White collar crime represents a pervasive and multifaceted phenomenon that transcends traditional notions of criminality. As our society is increasingly interconnected and reliant on complex financial systems white collar crime continues to evolve. By raising awareness of its nature we can empower individuals accused of this kind of crime to defend themselves. Defending against a white collar crime is different than run of the mill crimes. This kind of defense requires a deep dive into accounting and other financial records. Its not enough to let the prosecutors do their financial analysis. Your attorney must be able to question the numbers and by doing this offer a meaningful defense. For a Free consultation with a criminal defense attorney in Oklahoma call Kania Law Office – Wagoner – at 918-283-7394. Or if you like Click Here to ask an online legal question.
