Challenges in Defending Against Federal White-Collar Crime Charges

Could You Be Prosecuted for a White-Collar Crime?

If you’re accused of a white-collar crime in or near the Atlanta area – or anywhere in the State of Georgia – you must be advised and defended by an Atlanta white-collar criminal defense attorney, and you will need to get in touch with that attorney as quickly as possible.

While a number of white-collar crimes are addressed by Georgia’s state laws, most white-collar crimes are prosecuted as federal offenses. These include embezzlement, credit card fraud, money laundering, insurance fraud, identity theft, wire and mail fraud, real estate fraud, racketeering, tax fraud, securities fraud, and other non-violent financial crimes.

Federal investigations of white-collar crimes can lead to criminal convictions that may be penalized with costly fines and lengthy federal prison sentences. Additionally, the victims of white-collar crimes may bring civil lawsuits to recover what was stolen from them.

What Should You Know About White-Collar Crime?

The FBI tells us that white-collar crime costs the U.S. over $300 billion every year. An armed bank robbery averages about $3,000, but according to the Data Processing Management Association, the loss to a bank from a computer crime can be $500,000 or higher.

Potentially, a single white-collar crime can throw hundreds of workers out of their jobs, ruin businesses, devastate families by taking their savings, and cost investors billions in losses. For these reasons, law enforcement agencies and the courts treat white-collar crimes quite seriously.

How Are White-Collar Crimes Prosecuted?

If you know that you are under investigation by federal law enforcement authorities, speak at once to your lawyer about protecting your assets and accounts. Take the legal steps necessary to keep your accounts from being frozen and your assets from being seized by the government.

If you cannot access your assets and federal charges are filed against you, your ability to mount an effective defense will be limited, so you will need to act as quickly as possible and follow your lawyer’s instructions to protect yourself and your assets.

The specific white-collar criminal charge that a defendant faces, as well as the penalties for a conviction, will hinge on the details of the alleged crime, the amount of money or property that was involved, and the defendant’s previous criminal record.

If you face a federal charge for a white-collar crime, you have the same rights that you have in a state court, including the right to remain silent and the right to avoid self-incrimination as well as the right to be represented and advised by an Atlanta white-collar criminal defense lawyer.

When Should You Contact an Atlanta Defense Lawyer?

If you are under investigation by a federal law enforcement agency, do not try to wrangle or manipulate your way out of it. Hire your own lawyer and say nothing. Otherwise, you could make statements that you think are harmless but that later come back to be used against you.

If you are being investigated, you must reach out to an Atlanta defense attorney who will intercede with the government on your behalf in an effort to resolve the matter. If you are indicted or placed under arrest, you must contact a lawyer immediately.

Your Atlanta white-collar criminal defense attorney will review the government’s evidence, speak to any witnesses, and aggressively protect your rights. At a trial, your attorney will cast doubt on the evidence against you and will work to bring the case to its best possible outcome.

What Do You Need to Know About Federal Prosecutions?

The U.S. Department of Justice usually seeks the maximum penalty for those convicted of white-collar crimes. If the case goes to trial, your defense attorney will cast doubt on the government’s evidence, explain what actually happened, and ask the jurors to return an acquittal in your case.

If you are charged with a white-collar crime by a U.S. Attorney or indicted for a white-collar crime by a federal grand jury, your defense lawyer may ask the government to drop the charge, or your lawyer may file a motion asking the court to dismiss the case.

How Will an Attorney Defend You at Trial?

If the charge cannot be dropped and the case cannot be dismissed, and your case proceeds to trial, your Atlanta white-collar criminal defense lawyer will develop a defense strategy that is aggressive, effective, and that may include one or more of these claims:

No crime took place and the allegation against you is fabricated.
No crime took place and the allegation is based on a misunderstanding or a mistake.
Someone else committed the crime and you’ve been misidentified.
There is inadequate evidence to convict you of a white-collar crime.
You had no criminal intentions and simply made a mistake.

What Are the Ramifications of a White-Collar Criminal Conviction?

The consequences of a white-collar criminal conviction are not limited to the formal criminal penalties. A conviction will probably be followed by a civil lawsuit as the victim or victims act to recover their losses.

A conviction may also result in the seizure of your bank accounts and/or forfeiture of your home. If you hold a professional license, it may be revoked after a conviction for a white-collar crime. Your family will be damaged, you may lose your job, and you will establish a criminal record.

Who Should Defend You?

If you are charged with a white-collar crime, don’t even consider going to court alone. Even for a misdemeanor charge, too much will be at stake. If you are charged with money laundering, fraud, embezzlement, or another white-collar crime, contact Mones Law in Atlanta at once.

You will need a lawyer who has federal trial experience to review your case, gather evidence, and develop an effective defense strategy. Atlanta attorney Stuart M. Mones represents those in the Atlanta area who have been charged with the most serious federal crimes.

If you’re accused of a white-collar crime in or near Atlanta, Mones Law offers no-cost initial consultations and flexible payment plans. If you need a lawyer’s help now, or if you are being investigated by federal authorities, promptly call Mones Law at 404-522-7402. Se habla español.