White-collar crimes are nonviolent, financially motivated offenses typically committed by business professionals, corporate employees, and government officials. They usually involve deceit or fraud that funnel money from the business, shareholders, or customers into an individual’s pockets.
White-collar crimes are serious charges in Fairfax, Virginia, and accused individuals could face fines, imprisonment, and irreparable damage to their professional reputation. For these reasons, seeking experienced legal counsel with business law and financial crime defense knowledge is essential.
Common Types of White-Collar Crimes
Some of the most common types of white-collar crimes in Virginia include:
- Fraud – This is a broad category of white-collar crime that includes wire, mail, and securities fraud. Fraud involves intentionally deceiving others for financial gain, such as manipulating a business’s financial statements, inflating the value of a company, or making false promises to investors.
- Embezzlement – Embezzlement occurs when someone in a position of trust, such as an employee, misappropriates funds for personal use. It’s a common charge in corporate settings where individuals have access to large amounts of money and believe nobody will notice if some of it goes missing.
- Money Laundering – This crime involves hiding the origin of illegally obtained money, typically by passing it through multiple banking transfers or commercial transactions. Business owners and professionals can sometimes find themselves implicated in money laundering schemes they didn’t realize they were a part of.
- Bribery and Corruption – Offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting money or anything of value to influence the actions of someone in a position of power is bribery. Corruption charges often accompany bribery, especially when involving high-level corporate or government employees.
Defense Strategies for White-Collar Crimes
Criminal defense attorneys can use various strategies to defend clients against white-collar crime charges:
- Lack of Intent – Intent is crucial in many white-collar crime cases, as prosecutors often must show that you intended to commit fraud or another white-collar crime. Your defense lawyer can argue that you didn’t intend to commit a crime or were unaware that you were engaged in illegal activity.
- Entrapment – In some cases, your attorney may argue that law enforcement officials coerced you to commit a crime you otherwise wouldn’t have. Entrapment can be a challenging defense, but your attorney may be able to point to a clean criminal record before the incident as evidence that you wouldn’t have acted that way without the police’s influence.
- Lack of Evidence – Many white-collar crimes rely on evidence of financial transactions. If the prosecution doesn’t have evidence that clearly connects you to the transactions, your attorney may be able to get the charges dropped. Your attorney can also work with forensic accountants to trace transactions and uncover evidence supporting your innocence.
- Duress – If you committed a white-collar crime because someone else forced or threatened you into participating in their scheme, your attorney could use that as a defense, leading to reduced charges or an acquittal.
- Mistake of Fact – White-collar crimes often involve complex financial transactions, where mistakes and misunderstandings can occur. For example, a simple typo on an invoice isn’t evidence of fraud on its own, and your attorney can use that to defend you against white-collar crime charges.
White-Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer Serving Fairfax, Virginia
If you’re facing white-collar crime charges in Fairfax, Virginia, you need the white-collar criminal defense attorneys of Surovell Isaacs & Levy PLC on your side. Our firm can rely on its knowledge of business law and financial crimes to build a solid defense in your case that casts doubt on the prosecution’s version of events. Don’t try to handle these significant charges on your own. Let us take the pressures of handling your defense off your shoulders. Call us today for an initial consultation with a skilled white-collar criminal defense lawyer.
Posted in: Criminal Law