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What is “white collar crime”?

White collar crime is a term generally reserved for fraud committed by business or government professionals. The term "white collar crime" is said to have been coined in 1939 by Edwin Sutherland, during a speech to the American Sociological Society, when he defined it as "crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation."

The idea that white collar crime can only be committed by persons from a high socioeconomic status is somewhat outdated. More recently, in 1981 the US Department of Justice described white collar crime as, "nonviolent crime for financial gain committed by means of deception by persons whose occupational status is entrepreneurial, professional or semi-professional and utilizing their special occupational skills and opportunities; also, nonviolent crime for financial gain utilizing deception and committed by anyone having special technical and professional knowledge of business and government, irrespective of the person's occupation."

While there will always be debates about exactly which crimes fall under the "white collar" label, in general the term refers to nonviolent crimes committed in commercial situations for monetary gain. Because these crimes are often incredibly complex and sophisticated, they can be difficult to investigate and prosecute. However, it is also important to know that some crimes, like real estate fraud, have become such hot topics in California that prosecutors have more funds available than usual for investigations and prosecution.

The level of sophistication involved can also make it challenging for a criminal defense lawyer to adequately defend those accused of a white collar crime. For this reason, it is important to quickly seek the help of a skilled criminal law attorney with proven experience handling white collar crimes. Without skilled counsel, you risk penalties and long-term consequences that could have otherwise been avoided.

White collar crimes include frauds like real estate fraud, healthcare fraud, insurance fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud, credit card fraud, telemarketing fraud, and much more. These types of crimes fall under the auspices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as it is the federal government that typically charges individuals or sanctions corporations in cases of suspected fraud.

According to the FBI, white collar crime costs the United States $300 billion every year. If found guilty of a white collar crime, defendants can find themselves facing jail time, fines, home detention, supervised release, community confinement, prosecution reimbursement, forfeitures and restitution. Not only that, but having a white collar crime on your record can compromise your future, making it difficult to salvage your reputation, find work, get financing, and more.

No matter what kind of crime you may be accused of, always remember that you have rights. To speak with a sophisticated criminal defense attorney about your white collar crime or major fraud case in Ventura or Santa Barbara county, please contact the Ventura based law office of Bamieh & Erickson today.

The Law Offices of Bamieh & Erickson, PLC

692 East Thompson Boulevard

Ventura, CA 93001-2829

(805) 643-5555

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