White-collar crimes refer to a host of deceitful, non-violent actions that make the perpetrator money or provide them with a business advantage. To name a few, paying three out of five Lake Mary commissioners to award your firm the contract to develop acreage on Lake Shore Drive is bribery, recording someone else’s song and passing it off as your own is intellectual property theft, and funneling money from your accounting firm employer into your account is embezzlement.
In the mid-20th century, “white-collar” applied to professionals who wore white collars rather than laborers who wore blue collars. Today, because of the internet, almost anyone can commit nonviolent fraud. If you have been accused of a financial crime or believe the Department of Justice or the Seminole County circuit court state’s attorney is investigating your movements, contact a Lake Mary white-collar crimes lawyer. A skilled criminal defense attorney could help you build a defense to the charges brought against you.
White-collar crimes are prosecuted by the federal government if the activity reaches outside of one state, centers around federal programs or agencies, or violates federal law. Florida law governs crimes that violate state law or are committed within the state’s borders. Different federal and state laws may apply to a specific case, depending on the crime. For example, securities fraud is generally prosecuted on the federal level, although Florida addresses limited state-level securities fraud. Florida has adopted extensive fraud laws under its false pretenses, schemes to defraud, and theft and misappropriation statutes. Some examples of white-collar crimes include:
Florida is a hotbed for these crimes, as many target wealthy retirees. Agencies investigating non-violent fraud range from the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Securities and Exchange Commission to Lake Mary police and Seminole County deputies.
For a successful outcome, the attorneys hired to defend you must be capable of navigating federal and state systems. Additionally, they must be proficient negotiators and litigators with your best interests as the objective. A Lake Mary white-collar crimes attorney is all of these things and could work with you to build a strategy for your defense.
Once charges are filed, our legal team could begin gathering and analyzing evidence in an effort to exonerate you or get your charges reduced. Evidence may include financial records, emails, transactions with the accuser, the results of forensic accounting, and more. To build a defense, our lawyers often employ private investigators, our own forensic accountants, IT professionals, and expert witnesses. From our analysis, we could determine a suitable defense, such as:
If the evidence against you is strong, and after weighing your chances at trial against what evidence the prosecutor has and our defenses, our attorneys could pursue a plea deal for you. A white-collar crimes attorney in Lake Mary understands the gravity of a conviction and lesser charges negotiated in a plea agreement and could help you determine your best course of action.
Being accused of a white-collar crime results in a descent into either the federal or state legal system, with the possibility of spending years incarcerated in federal or state prison and paying substantial fines. However, the U.S. Constitution entitles you to a robust defense by a credible attorney, and our attorneys are ready to provide it.
We have a solid history of defending Central Floridians against a plethora of crimes. Our lawyers leave nothing to chance and mount defenses that have exonerated many clients. Convictions impact more than your future; they affect your family, too, so contact a Lake Mary white collar crimes lawyer now to discuss your situation.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
