White-collar crime can be common, as this terminology covers so many kinds of offenses. Common kinds of white-collar crimes that might be investigated include bribery, insider trading, credit card fraud and antitrust violations.
All of these kinds of crimes can lead to harsh penalties such as heavy fines or imprisonment. That’s why a solid defense is so important. Additionally, white-collar crimes may involve both criminal and civil penalties, so the potential for heavy losses is very real.
What are the most investigated white-collar crimes?
Some of the most common, and commonly investigated, white-collar crimes include:
- Securities fraud
- Money laundering
- Insider trading
- Insurance fraud
- Credit card fraud
- Antitrust violations
- Bribery
What’s surprising is that some of these could be committed unknowingly. For example, someone may give a gift to another person who could have influence over their position on the job without the intention to bribe them, but others may assume that it was a bribe when they get a promotion. This is something to watch out for.
What do you do if you’re under investigation for a white-collar crime?
If you are under investigation for any of the abovementioned white-collar crime activity, it’s important to get to know your rights quickly. Since there are usually multiple agencies involved in investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation or other departments of the government may already have a head start on their cases. Their combined efforts may make it difficult for you to defend yourself, but you have the right to do so.
If you find out that you’re under investigation, your first step should be to talk to your attorney about the case and to make sure that any interviews or conversations take place when they are present with you. Why? Even a seemingly nonchalant conversation with an agent could end up giving up important information that hurts your case.
Even if you have done nothing wrong, an investigation has the potential to implicate you and lead to significant damage to your reputation. Take the time to prepare if you believe an investigation is taking place, so you can minimize the fallout and protect your career.
