Florida White Collar Crime Attorney
White collar crimes are nonviolent and financially-motivated offenses usually committed for financial gain. They are investigated by state and federal authorities, which have a wealth of resources to crack down on them. Both the state and the federal government have groups of authorities dedicated exclusively to solving these crimes. White collar offenses often involve substantial sums of money and impact their victims more severely than lesser theft offenses, which is why the punishment for these types of crimes may involve lengthy prison sentences and steep fines, particularly for those who are found guilty of a federal offense. This is why a Florida white collar crime attorney like Brian Gabriel is necessary.
Who is the target of a white collar investigation?
State and federal authorities employ vast resources when investigating white collar offenses, which typically take place in a work environment. Authorities may target a specific business conducting questionable practices or a specific person or group within a business. Public officials are often the subject of white-collar crime investigations. Anyone charged with a white collar crime may suffer extensive damage to their personal reputation, career, and livelihood.
Public officials who face accusations of public corruption must align themselves with an experienced and competent defense attorney to protect further tarnishing to their reputation and mitigate the effects of unwanted media attention. Whether you face charges for kickbacks, bribery, or embezzling public funds, the sooner an attorney steps in, the better the results of your case can be.
Common Offenses Requiring a Florida White Collar Crime Lawyer
The term “white collar crime” refers to crimes that are typically economic in nature. This may include, but is not exclusive to, the following acts as defined by their appropriate chapters within the Florida Legislature:
- Forgery – Falsely producing, altering, or counterfeiting a public record such as a certificate, bond, will, and more.
- Extortion – Threatening to accuse another of a crime or disgrace, threatening to injure another person, property, or reputation. Verbal, written, and printed communication can be classified as extortion.
- Tax evasion – Willfully failing to collect or account for a tax, attempting to evade or defeat an imposed tax.
- Bribery – To knowingly offer a public servant, or to accept from a public servant, a benefit that is not officially recognized by the law in order to affect the outcome of an event either through act or omission.
- Identity theft – When an individual’s means of identification or financial information is used without that person’s authority.
- Organized scheme to defraud – Wherein an individual acts with the intent of obtaining property under false pretenses, promises, or conscious misrepresentations of a future act.
Other offenses that may require a Florida white collar crime lawyer may include:
- Embezzlement
- Ponzi and pyramid schemes
- Heath care fraud
- Insurance fraud
- Mortgage fraud
- Credit card fraud
- Social Security fraud
- Money laundering
Florida White Collar Crime Attorney
As with most white collar crime defense cases, the client’s legal rights and assets must first be preserved. As with any type of felony offense, white collar crimes can be punished with a prison sentence, fines, orders of restitution thereby repaying stolen funds, probation or house arrest. If you or your business is facing a white collar crime charge, it is crucial that you know and understand all of your legal rights. Contact a Florida white collar crime attorney at the Law Office of Gabriel & Gabriel; we have represented clients charged with white collar crimes and is well aware of the need for immediate and creative solutions to these complex criminal defense cases. Call us today at 561-622-5575 for a free consultation. We can answer any questions you may have regarding white collar crime or any criminal defense litigation.
