Whether you have been charged with a white collar crime, or you believe you are a target in an ongoing investigation, you need an experienced white collar lawyer to protect your rights and guide you through the process. In Arizona, at the county, state and federal level, prosecuting agencies have specialized bureaus dedicated to handling white collar crime. To effectively defend clients against specialized prosecuting agencies requires an attorney with expertise in financial and business matters. The state often overly zealous charges and prosecutes financial transactions that have legitimate explanations and aren’t criminal. when it comes to white collar prosecutions. Excess cash is automatically seen as money laundering. Found money is labeled “drug money” with little or no proof. In fact, government suspicions and investigations may target legitimate business decisions.
The term “white collar crime” is used to describe offenses that do not involve violence, the threat of violence or drugs (at least directly), and which are motivated by financial gain. For example, trafficking in illegal drugs is not considered a white collar crime, but a money laundering charge concerning the proceeds of drug sales falls within the definition. Similarly, if the allegation is that you stole someone’s money through a fraudulent scam, forgery or any form of internet fraud, these charges will normally be categorized as a white collar crime.
If you have been convicted of a crime at trial or pled guilty and been sentenced it doesn’t mean that your case is entirely over. Even after being sentenced for a crime there are a number of different avenues for appeal worth exploring. With a wealth of experience handling criminal appeals, the criminial defense attorneys at Feldman & Royle routinely handled the following matters:
Illegal control of an enterprise is Arizona’s law against racketeering. Racketeering occurs when a person engages in any illegal scheme. A.R.S. § 13-2312 is rarely a standalone crime and is normally accompanied by other white collar or drug crimes.
When you’re charged with the commission of a white collar crime, the potential penalties may surprise you. Following the near collapse of the American banking system, and well-publicized fraud, embezzlement, the government has taken a keen interest in prosecuting white collar crime. Financial and other business transactions are coming under increased scrutiny, and prosecutors are more than willing to pursue these cases aggressively. Most white collar crimes are felonies under Arizona law and many require mandatory prison if convicted, even on a first offense.
