Non-violent types of financial and business crimes are understood as ‘white collar’, because of the professional atmosphere in which they unfold. Despite common misconceptions, there are steep penalties attached with white collar crime convictions, including large sums of financial fines and prison time. There are many types of fraud which fall under white collar crime, all of which involve dishonesty at the core. For those facing a charge of white collar crime, choosing the right attorney will be critical in assuring your best outcome. Read on to discover more about which crimes are classified as white collar, and what your options are as a defendant.

Types of White Collar Crime

There are many, many ways which a crime can be classified as white collar. Among those are quite a few involving computer crimes, which have grown exponentially within the past twenty years. Some major white collar crimes include the following:

• Fraud: Bank fraud, credit card fraud, financial fraud, government contracts fraud, health care claims fraud, insurance fraud, investment fraud, Medicaid/Medicare fraud, mortgage fraud, prescription-related fraud, and securities fraud are all types of white collar crime, as are any fraudulent offenses committed by public officials.
• Computer Crimes: Including internet crimes, computer additions, cyber-crime, phishing, and computer criminal charges, have grown hugely and are a major source of white collar criminal activity today. Online gambling, as well as offline gambling related offenses, is also a type of white collar crime.  These are prosecuted very aggressively on both state and federal levels, most of which have separate offices dedicated to prosecuting internet based offenses.
• Additional Financial Crimes:  A common thread among most, if not all, white collar crime is it’s tendency to be for the purpose of unethical financial gain. Bribery, counterfeiting, and insider trading are all commonly found types of white collar crime. Passing bad checks, money laundering, forgery, extortion, and racketeering crimes also fall into the white collar crime categorization.

Penalties: While individual penalties vary greatly by crime and seriousness, there is no reason to underestimate the potential consequences of a conviction for white collar crime. These convictions often result in jail time, as well as steep financial penalties, restitution to the victims in each case, and a forfeiture of moneys received from the scam, fraud, or other criminal activity by which they were acquired. Since white collar crime varies differently from most other violent offenses, it’s important to acquire a lawyer who fully understands the special concerns in cases of white collar cases.

Know Your Options: Sentencing minimums for white collar crime convictions make it difficult for judges to exercise restraint in their final judgement. These offenses are very aggressively prosecuted with difficult consequences for all involved. Due to the seriousness of white collar criminal activity, any defendant should seek immediate legal counsel. At the office of David Polsky, we can provide you with the best attention and experience to handle white collar crime defenses. Call today at (973) 686-9787 for your free consultation.