NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TEXAS WHITE COLLAR CRIME LAWYERS

WHAT CRIMES ARE CONSIDERED WHITE COLLAR IN TEXAS?

While not an actual legal term, white collar crime got it’s name in the early 1900s from the people most likely to commit the crimes, professionals in white -collared shirts. 

White Collar Crime includes crimes such as: fraud, embezzlement, forgery, insider trading, identify theft and bribery. Most commonly charged as white collar crimes are fraud and embezzlement. 

Under state and federal law fraud involves an intentional deception or false representation of a fact inducing a person to do something he or she would otherwise not do. Embezzlement is the fraudulent appropriation of money that does not belong to him or her. 

Austin White Collar Crime Lawyer

WHAT IS THE PUNISHMENT FOR WHITE COLLAR CRIME?

White collar crime accusations are serious and convictions carry stiff penalties in both state and federal court including heavy fines, prison, forfeiture of assets, restitution, etc.

AM I BEING INVESTIGATED FOR A WHITE COLLAR CRIME?

Different agencies investigate white collar crimes in Texas. On a national level the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.), Internal Revenue Services (I.R.S.), Securities and Exhcnage Commission (S.E.C.) and the U.S. Treasury can all contribute to a white collar investigation. These federal agencies may also deploy local authorities to assist. 

You need to contact a Texas white collar lawyer if you:

  • receive a subpoena to appear for a grand jury;
  • receive a “target letter” from a federal agency stating an investigation is necessary; or
  • are contacted by local or federal authorities.

Any information you provide can be later used against you in the court of law.

DEFENDING TEXAS WHITE COLLAR CRIME CHARGES.

Just because one is charged with a crime, does not mean they are guilty of that crime. Defenses such as “lack of intent”, that is lacking the required intent to commit the crime or entrapment, where a person would not have committed the offense but for an undercover officer’s persuasion are a few white collar crime defenses. So is duress,  where a person was forced by someone else to commit the crime.