Fort Collins White Collar Crime Defense Attorney
Request Free ConsultationWhite collar crimes may not seem serious, but they can cause significant and long-lasting consequences for you, your family, and your career. If you’re in Fort Collins or in the surrounding area and you’re being investigated for or have been charged with a white collar crime, you need a dedicated and experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side. An experienced Fort Collins white collar crime defense lawyer at Martin & Reed, LLC, is here to guide you. Contact our law firm by calling (970) 573-5187 or completing our contact form to schedule your free consultation as soon as possible.
What Is White Collar Crime in Fort Collins, Colorado?
The FBI’s definition of a white collar crime is a non-violent crime that includes an element of one of the following:
- Public corruption
- Health care fraud
- Mortgage fraud
- Securities fraud
- Money laundering
- And other types of fraud, such as insider trading
Since white collar crimes are non-violent and often involve a corporation, bank, state government, or federal government, why is it taken so seriously? Generally, the people who are charged and who may be convicted of the crimes that fall under this umbrella term are in positions of trust and authority. Because they are in these positions, regardless of whether they truly committed the crime they were charged with, the prosecutor has a sense of obligation to make an example out of them, especially if the state or federal government was involved. In order to keep from being thrown under the bus, it is extremely important to work with a skilled Fort Collins white collar crime defense attorney in developing a defense strategy.
White Collar Crime is a State and Federal Offense in Fort Collins, Colorado
Depending on the crime itself, it can be only a state-level crime. Some examples of state-level crimes include:
- Blackmailing someone
- Bribing a state official
- Insider trading
- Money laundering within the state
- Perjury in a state case
- Tax evasion at the state level
- Criminal extortion
Yet, there are also federal white collar crimes. Some of the crimes listed above can be federal crimes as well. For some crimes, you can be charged at both the state and federal levels. For example, money laundering or tax evasion can be both state and federal white collar crime. Insider trading is also a white collar crime that is charged at both the state and federal levels.
Healthcare fraud is a white collar crime this is often charged at the federal level in health and medical professions. This is especially true if the federal government believes that a healthcare professional of any kind has somehow committed Medicare fraud or another type of healthcare fraud against the federal government.
Who Is Most Often Charged with a White Collar Crime in Fort Collins?
The people who are most often charged with a white collar crime are the people who are placed in a position of power and trust, usually these people are in charge of either money or information of some kind. For example, under the False Claims Act, an unknowing medical coder could be charged with healthcare fraud for using the wrong codes because they weren’t using up-to-date codes after missing their Medicare training several times.
Other examples of white collar crimes could be:
- Insider trading
- Corporate fraud
- Tax fraud
- Embezzlement
The most common white collar crime falls under the umbrella of corporate fraud. Corporate fraud is an umbrella term that means illegal or deceptive actions that take place within a corporation by an individual employed by the corporation. If you’re charged with corporate fraud or another white collar crime, schedule your free consultation with a Fort Collins criminal defense attorney at Martin & Reed, LLC, right away!
How Are White Collar Crimes Investigated in Fort Collins?
White collar crimes aren’t easy to prove. And, of course, before anyone can be charged, an investigation must take place. So, how might that investigation occur? The answer is that it depends on the crime and the facts surrounding it.
Some of the options include law enforcement (including a government agent) issuing subpoenas for financial records or search warrants for your office or your home. They may get all of your documents, including your emails, via a warrant, or through the use of a wiretap.
What they need to charge and prosecute you ultimately depends on the type of white collar crime. Don’t wait until later to seek legal counsel, schedule a free consultation with a skilled Fort Collins white collar crime defense attorney at Martin & Reed, LLC.
Who Can You Trust When You’re Being Investigated or Charged with a White Collar Crime?
If you’re being investigated or charged with a white collar crime in Fort Collins or the surrounding area, who can you trust? Can you talk to HR if it’s corporate fraud? Can you talk to your spouse since there’s marital privilege? What about your parents or your best friend?
The truth is that you shouldn’t talk to anyone. Spousal privilege can be waived. Best friends and parents can be subpoenaed and forced to testify. HR isn’t there to help you. The only people in your corner if you’re being investigated or charged with a white collar crime is your criminal defense lawyer. Your defense strategy needs to start immediately. Schedule your free initial consultation with a Fort Collins white collar crime defense attorney now with Martin & Reed, LLC.