White Collar Crime is a term that is popularly used to describe economic crimes that are typically associated with people who work in business; in many cases these crimes stem from abuse of power or authority over business relationships, access to business financial information or instruments, or other potentially sensitive data. The victims of white collar crime typically are not physically injured, but in some cases can be left financially ruined. The fact is, although white collar crimes are not violent, they are frequently charged as federal crimes, often aggressively prosecuted, and in addition to jail time, a conviction for white collar crime can ruin your business career. If you are facing charges of economic crime, you need an experienced, aggressive Boulder white collar crime attorney immediately. While the term white collar crime is not an official legal term, it is sometimes a good phrase to encompass a broad range of charges that fall under the heading of economic crime. Some common white collar crimes are:
- Theft
- Fraud
- Embezzlement
- Forgery
- Identity Theft
Theft
Theft is a very general term for taking possession of things that do not belong to you. In many cases, theft is charged as a more specific charge. Have you been charged with theft in Boulder? Contact Boulder theft attorney Steven Louth for a free consultation.
Fraud
Fraud is actually a broad category of criminal activity. Some specific fraud charges, such as mail fraud and tax fraud, are very likely to be charged as federal crime. There are many other fraud charges, including wire fraud, Ponzi and Pyramid schemes, and insurance fraud. The unifying factor is that all forms of fraud involve falsifying or hiding information for financial gain. In other words, when you either lie about yourself, or intentionally hide information about yourself, in order to gain something, you commit fraud. The thing that is gained can vary widely as well; it could be money, stocks or bonds, merchandise, loans, or anything else of value.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is actually a form of fraud. When you are in a position of trust that gives you access to the finances of another person, or a business, if you fraudulently convert ownership of property that you have control over to yourself, you commit embezzlement. A simple example would be an accountant transferring his or her clients' money to a personal account. In many cases, embezzlement gets quite creative and extremely complicated.
Forgery
Forgery is relatively simple to understand. It is either creating a false document, or fraudulently changing a real document. It can be anything from signing someone else's name on a check, to creating fake financial documents that appear to give you property rights that you don't really have.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is the fraudulent use of someone else's personal information for financial gain. It is a crime that has become much more common with the proliferation of computer technology. The personal information can be anything from name and address, to social security number, to computer log-in information.
The common thread between all of these types of crime is that they involve dishonesty in gaining things. The things can be money, possessions, services, or anything else of value. The act of dishonesty can range from physically picking up something that doesn't belong to you and walking away, to using computers to gain access to other people's assets. While these crimes typically do not include physical violence, the government often sees them as highly destructive, and pursues them very aggressively. In many cases, an equally aggressive defense will require forensic accounting, and can become extraordinarily complex. When you add in the fact that these charges are often federal charges, it is clear that if you face charges of economic crime, you need an identity theft attorney in Boulder with extensive experience defending these charges.
If you have been charged with any economic crime, or even if you are under investigation for white collar crime, contact an experienced, dedicated Colorado criminal defense law firm immediately to protect your rights. As a former Boulder County prosecutor, Steven Louth understands how prosecutors assemble cases, and can design an effective defense strategy. He is a Boulder criminal defense lawyer who believes that his role is to be a fierce advocate for each of his clients, in order to get each client the best possible outcome under the specific circumstances. For more information and a FREE CASE EVALUATION, contact Steve at (303)442-2297 today.