White Collar Crimes
Fort Bend County White Collar Crimes Lawyer
Those facing charges for white collar crimes stand to lose not just their freedom, but their long-term reputation in the community they reside and the industry where they make a living. The Fort Bend County white collar crimes lawyer who defends them must be meticulous in their investigative work and ferocious in their advocacy. White collar crimes are often the subject of federal investigations, from the FBI to the Securities & Exchange Commission. The defense attorney must be fearless in contesting them and determined in doing the legal footwork.
The Law Office of Annie Scott has spent over 12 years fighting for the people of Fort Bend County and Harris County. We understand the strategies prosecuting attorneys use and we know how to combat them on behalf of our clients.
Call our Sugar Land office today at (281) 466-4118 or contact us online to set up a free consultation.
Common Examples of White Collar Crime
White collar crime is a broad term. It’s understood to be anything that’s non-violent from a physical standpoint and aimed instead at financial gain. The tactics alleged by prosecutors in white collar crimes often include deceit, violations of personal and professional trust, and sometimes the violation of legally binding fiduciary responsibility. Some of the most common white collar crimes include the following…
Mortgage Fraud
A individual might be charged with lying–either directly or by omission–on an application that was used to obtain a mortgage. These types of schemes can be as simple as the deliberate misstatement of one’s annual earnings to as complex as “renting assets” from friends and then returning them after the mortgage comes through.
Another example might be an appraiser who works in collaboration with house-flippers. The appraiser could be charged with essentially “fudging the numbers” to allow the flippers to buy their property low and sell it high.
False Identity
A individual might be charged with getting a hold of someone’s personal identifying information (i.e., a Social Security number) and using it to open accounts and obtain lines of credit.
Money Laundering
When criminal organizations get money, they need to make that money appear “clean”. The process by which that happens is called money laundering. This can be a very complex process, involving multiple transactions to separate the money from its illicit origins and make it difficult for authorities to trace.
The complexity of the process often means that innocent people can end up handling illegal money and being completely unaware of it. These individualsneed a Fort Bend County white collar crimes lawyer to clear their good name.
Healthcare Fraud
This occurs when a medical provider seeks to defraud an insurance company or benefit program. A common example is to submit claims for services that never actually happened. The Medicaid and Medicare programs are often targets of this type of fraud. Potential individualscan include not just the doctor in charge of the practice, but administrators who may be unwittingly caught up in the scheme and need legal counsel.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is another form of stealing and it happens when the person charged with the crime had been placed in charge of overseeing the stolen money. This can happen at any level of business, but small businesses–which may have blurred lines between accounts for business and accounts for personal use–might be particularly vulnerable. It’s also possible in these circumstances that the person charged with embezzlement might not actually be guilty.
Corporate Fraud
Fraud in any circumstance is simply the misstating of information in a way that harms the victim. At the corporate level, this can involve changing financial statements as a means of deceiving shareholders or potential investors.
A white-collar crimes defense strategy requires meticulous research and ferocious advocacy. At the Law Office of Annie Scott, we do both. Call today at (281) 466-4118 or contact us online to set up a free consultation. Calls answered 24 hours a day/7 days a week by a live person.
Recent Wins
View Our CASE RESULTS
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Controlled Substance Possession Dismissed 2021
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Violence 3 year Deferred Adjudication/Overall Dismissed 2
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Drug Possession Dismissed 2021
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Assault Dismissed 2021
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Other Misdemeanor Dismissed 2021
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“Very professional and I would definitely recommend” - Roderick Johnson
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“If anyone wants a lawyer who will fight for you until the end pls choose Ms.Annie Scott I promise you it's worth it.” - Shawn T.
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Penalties for White Collar Crimes
The value of money taken is what determines the potential sentence for a white collar crime conviction. The magic number, so to speak, is $1,500. Anything higher than that can be charged as a felony and anywhere from six months to two years in prison.
When the dollar value of the alleged crime rises to $20,000, jail terms can be as long as ten years. At the $100,000 threshold, a 20-year prison term can be sought by the prosecutor. And if the value of the white collar crime goes over $200,000, life behind bars becomes a possibility.
A Fort Bend County White Collar Crimes Lawyer for the Defense
Being charged with a white collar crime can be scary, especially if the dollar amounts are high and federal law enforcement is in the picture. The Law Office of Annie Scott can help. Our founding partner, Attorney Annie Scott, practiced law within the District Attorney’s office. Attorney Scott brought that understanding of prosecutorial tactics and methods to the world of legal defense when she founded our firm in 2010.
The Law Office of Annie Scott have spent the ensuing time doing the hard work it takes to clear the good names of our clients, fighting to keep them free and restoring them to their communities.
Call our Sugar Land office today at (281) 466-4118 or contact us online to set up a free consultation. Calls answered 24 hours a day/7 days a week by a live person.