With technology providing people greater interconnectivity than ever before there’s an evolution of white-collar crime. Actions enabled through new technologies can still be classified under the 1939 FBI definition of white-collar crime; crimes of lying, cheating and stealing. You may be surprised to find that federal investigators are focusing more than ever on stopping fraud before it begins, so actions taken in a variety of sectors can brings charges before they have any impact. Crimes of deception usually have monetary motivation and even allegations can have serious repercussions for the reputation and business standing of corporations, government contractors and individuals.

Fraud encompasses deceptions meant to profit an individual financially and is classified into securities, tax, bank, and computer fraud. Other crimes, such as identity theft, money laundering, Internet crimes and bribery also require an attorney experienced in white-collar crime. Any fraud allegation requires fast, aggressive defense in order to prevent substantial life changes that charges can cause.

Both federal and state governments are tenacious in persecuting and seeking restitution for tax fraud. Individuals and corporations can both be investigated for tax evasion, filing a false return or failure to file a return; all considered deceiving the government in order to avoid paying money that the government is owed. These charges have serious consequences if not addressed quickly and with expertise.

There are serious personal and professional penalties that accompany any charges. Stress and confusion begin before an indictment is ever filed so a defense attorney should begin to navigate the evidence and case as soon as possible.

Source: FBI.gov, “White-Collar Crime,” Accessed Oct. 9, 2015