White collar crimes

Criminal Defense

The line between a bad business decision and a crime is intent.

Almost every white collar allegation reduces to whether someone intended to deceive. The same set of transactions can be a failed venture, a dispute between partners, sloppy bookkeeping — or fraud. Investigators arrive already believing one version, and the defence is built by reconstructing what was actually known and decided at the time, from the records rather than from hindsight.

Allegations we defend

• Wire, mail, bank and insurance fraud, including federal charges arising from ordinary business communications.
• Embezzlement and theft by a fiduciary or employee.
• Money laundering and structuring, which frequently attach to an underlying offence the client disputes.
• Securities and investment fraud.
• Healthcare fraud and billing allegations.
• Identity theft, credit card abuse and computer crimes.
• Bribery, kickback and public corruption allegations.

The parallel proceedings problem

White collar matters rarely stay in one forum. A criminal investigation can run alongside an SEC or regulatory inquiry, a civil suit, a licensing board and an internal corporate investigation — each with its own deadlines and its own consequences for what you say. Testimony given in one becomes evidence in the others. Coordinating that, rather than answering each as it arrives, is a substantial part of the work.

Before charges: the quiet stage that matters most

If you are aware of an investigation and have not been charged, this is the stage where the outcome is most changeable. Preserving documents properly, avoiding anything that looks like obstruction, controlling what employees are told, and presenting exculpatory material to the prosecutor before a charging decision is made are all live options — and they close once an indictment exists.

Fees, and what you get for them

Criminal matters are quoted as a flat fee for a defined stage of the case, so you know what representation costs before you commit to it. Payment plans are available. What the fee buys is a lawyer who appears at your settings, reads the file rather than skimming it, and tells you honestly which parts of the State's case are weak and which are not.

Common questions