What Are the Most Common Types of White Collar Crime? | Wichita Criminal Defense Law Firm

When you think about crime, your mind most likely begins to think of violent criminal offenses such as assault or battery, but violent offenses are not the only types of crime. White collar crime, a term referring to the type of profession that a person has, encompasses a broad spectrum of criminal behaviors and is often used for financial gain. With the rise of internet accessibility in modern times, many white collar crimes are committed through technology and can pose a threat to your confidential financial information. Our attorneys at the McConnell Law Firm, the premier Wichita criminal defense law firm, have detailed what you need to know about the most common types of white collar crime below!

Characteristics of White Collar Crime

Coined in 1939 by Edwin Hardin Sutherland, the term “white collar crime” was thought to be a crime committed by a person in a respectable position in society with a high social status based on their occupation. Today, white collar crime has become synonymous with the full range of fraud committed by business and government professionals and is generally non-violent. Because white collar crimes can go undetected for years and are usually difficult to track, many of the accused can profit off of illegal activities for significant periods of time without being caught. Among the most common types of white collar crimes are bank fraud, embezzlement, and cybercrime.

Bank Fraud

Bank fraud is one of the most common forms of white collar crime and is usually committed with the intent of financial gain. For bank fraud to occur, there must be intentional deception, pretense, or use of false information to steal from a bank, financial institution, or bank depositors. Like other criminal cases, bank fraud penalties will vary based on state and federal laws but commonly result in hefty fines and jail or prison time depending on the conviction. If you have been falsely accused of committing bank fraud and employ the defense of unknowingly committing such crime, proving ignorance is not always a guaranteed defense, so it is important to seek the help of an experienced Wichita criminal defense law firm to ensure your reputation, business, and rights are protected.

“I’ve defended against fraud cases worth millions of dollars, and in my personal experience, I think white collar crime cases are easier to defend in the sense that they are very ambiguous,” said Jonathan W. McConnell, founder of the Wichita criminal defense law firm, the McConnell Law Firm. “A lot of people, especially attorneys, don’t file their own tax returns, let alone look through the tens of thousands of pages of financial records involved in complicated fraud cases. Because accounting is theory and can be classified very creatively, intent gets more complicated to prove than most people think.”

Embezzlement

When a person, typically the employee of an organization, is in a position of authority where they have access to corporate funds, corporate credit cards, or property and uses their authority to steal from an organization purposefully, it is considered a case of embezzlement. Common examples of embezzlement can be seen through politicians and campaign officials misappropriating campaign funds to cover personal expenses or through an employee endorsing client checks and keeping the cash for themselves. While history shows a disparity between how white collar crimes such as embezzlement cases are prosecuted and how other traditionally violent crimes are prosecuted, judges and courts have recently attempted to go after these defendants more. It is in your best interest to hire a skilled white collar crime attorney if you feel you are in need of guidance!

Cybercrime

With the increase in modern-day internet access, it is no surprise that cybercrime is one of the most common types of white collar crimes. Because cybercrime encompasses such a wide variety of offenses, including crimes against people, crimes against property, and crimes against the government, each offense has its own punishment and penalties depending on the circumstances. Many defendants face costly fines, prison time, probation, restitution, community service, and even being convicted of multiple criminal charges if done in conjunction with other offenses.

Have You Been Accused?

If you have been falsely accused of committing a white collar crime, we encourage you to contact the McConnell Law Firm as soon as possible. While every case is different, and no conclusions should be drawn without first consulting a Wichita criminal defense law firm about the specifics of your case, it is always in your best interest to have a skilled attorney by your side from the beginning.