Most people have heard of white-collar crime. What you may not know is that the term encompasses numerous crimes that fit within a certain definition.
In Florida, white-collar crime is a crime in which a person commits an offense intending to engage in fraud, deprive another of their property or conspires to commit those criminal acts.
What are some types of white-collar crimes?
There are numerous actions considered white-collar crimes, including:
- Insurance fraud
- Embezzlement
- Identity theft
- Credit card fraud
- Extortion
- Forgery
- Investment schemes
- Health care fraud
- Accounting fraud
What are the penalties for white-collar crimes?
Penalties for white-collar crime vary depending on the severity of the offense. People convicted of some of these infractions must pay restitution to their victims, whether their names appear on the official complaints or not. In addition to paying the sufferers, those found guilty of certain white-collar crimes also face paying court fees and fines up to $500,000 or double the amount of the damage caused, whichever is greater.
Jail time accompanies fines in some instances of these criminalities. Those convicted can face incarceration ranging from 60 days to 30 years.
What should you do if facing white-collar charges?
If charged with a white-collar crime, you should say as little as possible to law enforcement. Too often defendants think their words will help but they only end up causing issues in the long run. Staying quiet and seeking counsel are the smart moves at this interval.
White-collar crimes have the ability to impact the rest of a person’s life and warrant serious treatment by anyone who faces them.