Many good professionals and business people often are caught up in investigations for white collar crime. White collar crime is made up of offenses such as fraud and other crimes committed normally in the business arena. In 1989, the Federal Bureau of Investigation defined white collar crime "as those illegal acts which are characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust which are not dependant upon the application or threat of physical force or violence", US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (1989) "White Collar Crime: A Report to the Public." Washington, DC Government Printing Office.
Some examples of White Collar Crime are:
Fraud ~ including Federal and State Tax Fraud
Embezzlement
Bribery
Insider Trading
Environment Law Violations
Health and Safety Law Violations
We represent persons at Administrative Hearings involving professional accusations, such as doctors, dentists and pharmacists. There is nothing other than death of a family member which is more traumatic for a business person or professional to go through. We professionals trade on our reputation. When an investigator threatens to harm it, our very livelihood is being threatend.
These investigations may occur with either Federal and/or State investigators. The State or local Attorney General's office may get involved as may the United States Attorney General's Office. These cases are usually very complex and require even more preparation than other kinds of criminal accusations. What follows is a brief description of the criminal process for both State and Federal Court.
Federal Court System State Court System