(Newswire.net — September 22, 2023) –Typical white-collar crimes involve fraud offenses with criminal intentions that may be on a large scale. White-collar crimes usually connect to money. Even minor offenses can heavily affect your professional life. When facing these charges, an experienced lawyer can make a difference. There are a few common types of white-collar crimes that a lawyer could help with.
1. Bank Fraud
Bank fraud is when you use intentional deception when giving information and intending to steal from the bank. Most bank fraud is for financial gain, but sometimes it can give information someone was looking for. The three types of bank fraud are accounting, check and credit card, and the Internet. The penalties for bank fraud vary between the federal and the state. The US Secret Service is the one who investigates any bank fraud.
2. Healthcare Fraud
Healthcare fraud is knowingly making a false statement about a person to a healthcare provider and is one of the few white-collar crimes that anyone can commit. Healthcare fraud includes modifying medical records, falsifying diagnoses for higher payments, billing non-covered services, altering dates and identities to related services, prescribing unnecessary treatment or procedure, and prescription drug fraud. The aftermath of healthcare fraud depends on the state. A criminal defense lawyer helps because the penalties go beyond fines and jail time. A healthcare worker can lose their license or practice for one offense.
3. Bribery
Bribery is offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting valuable items in exchange for something in return. You may feel the need for bribery to get things moving such as when projects or contracts are in limbo. This type of white-collar crime is in many industries, and penalties for bribery range from fines to jail time, depending on the state.
4. Embezzlement
Embezzlement happens when you’re entrusted with money in a paid or unpaid position and take the money for personal use. Embezzlement is a white-collar crime but has a connection with other theft charges. Petty theft embezzlement can get you months in prison and a $1,000 restitution. Felony embezzlement could send you to prison for years, and you’ll have to pay back what you stole. The specific laws and penalties of the crime differ between states.
5. Money Laundering
Money laundering is when legitimate businesses provide legal sources of money for cash from illegal enterprises. The drug trade often uses this method to clean their money. Cash businesses that may be fronts for illegal enterprises include laundromats, car washes, and casinos. States differ on the specifics of money laundering penalties, but the first offense is up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property. Money laundering is a serious crime, and you need proper representation.
6. Internet Crimes
Cybercrimes have become so common over the years that it has a category to itself. Some common cybercrimes include bank account hacking and electronic identity theft. Mortgage fraud is stealing mortgage information to secure a line of credit under their name. Ransomware is using a program to lock a computer and demanding money to unlock it. The penalty can be up to 20 years of prison time for cybercrime.
There are many types of white-collar crimes. Financial crimes are becoming more and more common in our fast-paced world. White-collar crimes are serious charges that can impact your personal and professional life. White-collar crimes are usually more complex than other offenses, which you shouldn’t face alone.