fraudWhite collar crimes1 are rarely well-publicized by the local or national news. Only in cases where there are millions of dollars at stake or high-profile victims or perpetrators do white-collar crimes usually enter into the public consciousness. While these cases do occur, the majority of white collar crime occurs at a much smaller level and involves much smaller sums of money. While we may rarely hear about it, white collar crime is aggressively investigated and prosecuted by Illinois authorities and the penalties can extremely serious, potentially including fines, restitution, probation, and even jail time. As a result, anyone accused of a white collar crime in Illinois should be certain to discuss their case with a Chicago white collar crimes attorney as soon as possible.

What is White Collar Crime?

White collar crime is a broad category of crime that involves nonviolent financially motivated misconduct, often perpetrated by professionals. Some common examples of white collar crime that often is prosecuted in Illinois include:

  • Bribery – Bribery involves inducing a public official to engage in certain conduct by offering a gift or something else of value.
  • Forgery – Forgery is the making of false documents or other materials with the intent to deceive in order to realize a financial gain. Many items or items can be forged, including signatures, identifications, bank documents, and contracts.
  • Embezzlement – Embezzlement occurs when a person who rightfully possesses funds or property of another wrongfully uses those funds or property for personal gain.
  • Ponzi schemes – A Ponzi scheme2 is a type of investment fraud in which investors who initially invested in the scheme are paid dividends from capital investments of investors who invested at a later time, rather than from actual proceeds made from investments of their money.
  • Mail and wire fraud – Mail and wire fraud involves using the mail or electronic communications in furtherance of a fraudulent scheme intended to deprive another person of property or honest services.
  • Bank fraud – Bank fraud can take many forms, but involves defrauding a bank or other financial institution.
  • Money laundering – Money laundering is the process of taking funds obtain through illegal means and making it appear as it the funds had been obtained through some legitimate means.

Contact a Chicago criminal defense attorney today to schedule a free consultation

These and other white collar crimes can result in significant penalties that can affect you for years. Fortunately for people accused of criminal activity, there are often many ways that an experienced lawyer can help mitigate any long-term consequences you may face. To schedule a free consultation with Illinois attorney Nenye Uche, call our office today at (312) 380-5341.

1http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/white_collar/whitecollarcrime

2http://www.sec.gov/answers/ponzi.htm

 

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