White Collar Crimes

The criminal defense attorneys at the Southern California law offices of the Khashayar Law Group help people charged with white collar crimes, including embezzlement, fraud, identity theft, and Internet and computer-based crimes.

What is White Collar Crime?

Generally speaking, a white collar crime is a criminal offense which is accomplished through the means of deception rather than force. But just because a white collar crime is not usually a violent crime does not mean that these cases are not vigorously prosecuted. White collar crime can involve the theft of serious amounts of money, and the victims and the state will both doggedly pursue a conviction. In contrast to other types of crime where the resources of the police may be stretched thin across the board, there are many agencies, such as the SEC, the IRS, the Justice Department, and their state counterparts, that devote whole divisions to the investigation and prosecution of certain white collar crime. A conviction for a white collar offense can lead to serious jail time and should not be taken lightly.

Complicated Laws, Lengthy Investigations

As with most crimes today, white collar crimes are created or defined by statute. In the case of white collar crime, however, the definitions of these offenses can be quite lengthy and complicated. It is often difficult, even among experts and practitioners in accounting, tax, or other fields, to tell when a certain action or course of conduct amounts to a violation of the law or is instead perhaps a questionable yet acceptable practice. The difference between a conviction or acquittal can often turn upon the correct interpretation of statutory language, and the ability of the defense attorney to persuade a judge or jury of that correct interpretation.

Because white collar crimes can be so complicated, they are often investigated for a lengthy period before charges are ever filed or any arrests are made. Unlike other crimes that may occur at one time and be witnessed by the police or others, white collar offenses tend to involve patterns of conduct that occur over time.

Contact Counsel as Soon as Possible

While the government is building its case, it may come to your attention that you are being investigated in connection with some offense. This is definitely a time to contact your lawyer. Your attorney may be able to intervene at this preliminary stage and influence what charges are filed, or even if any charges are ultimately filed at all. You may also be approached at this stage for questioning. While it may appear that your cooperation at this point would be in your best interests, it is always advisable to contact your attorney first. Most of the time when the police want to talk to you, it is not to rule you out as a suspect but to rule you in. You may in fact wish to help the police in their investigation, but this step should not be taken without the advice of counsel. You have a right to seek legal advice before submitting to questioning, and you should exercise that right fully.

Our firm helps people charged with many white collar crimes, including:

• Forgery
• Fraud
• Identity Theft
• Larceny
• Embezzlement
• Extortion
• Perjury
• Theft
• Internet Fraud

If you are under investigation or have been arrested and charged with one of these crimes, contact the Khashayar Law Group right away for a free consultation.