Columbia White-Collar Crime Attorneys

What are white-collar crimes?

If you’ve been arrested for a white-collar crime here in the Columbia and Charleston areas, or believe you may be under investigation, it’s important to talk to a criminal defense attorney immediately. The vast majority of individuals charged with white-collar crimes have never dealt with the criminal justice system before, and are typically law-abiding citizens. These types of crimes are usually non-violent and include things like tax evasion, embezzlement, or fraud.

Attorney Hough is experienced in all types of white-collar charges and cases – both state and federal. Following are some examples of white-collar crimes and a short description.

Insider trading

Insider trading is a crime that involves using inside information for financial gain. For example – selling your stock in your own company with the knowledge that information is about to made public that will greatly lessen the value of the stock.

Securities fraud

If the management or ownership of a company knowingly misrepresents information about the business to gain investors, they can be charged with securities fraud. These illegal activities can include inflating profit margins, misrepresenting losses, or disseminating misinformation regarding the company’s business activities.

Bank fraud

Bank fraud is often a federal crime and involves deceiving a financial institution, typically a bank or credit union, for personal profit. This can include check stealing, using false or stolen information to open a bank account, obtaining fraudulent loans, and check kiting.

Wire fraud

Wire fraud means using the internet, phone, or other communication methods that cross state lines to carry out a crime. These offenses include scams like phone calls that con the elderly out of money, or phishing emails attempting to steal your financial information or passwords.

Mail fraud

Because it involves the United States Postal Service (USPS), mail fraud is a federal crime. You could be charged with mail fraud if you use physical mail (this can include private carriers like UPS or FedEx as well) to commit a crime.

Tax evasion

Deliberately falsifying your or your company’s tax returns, underreporting income, or doing anything else to intentionally avoid paying taxes you owe to the government is considered tax evasion.

Embezzlement

A very common white-collar crime, embezzlement involves taking money from an employer, client, or business partner. The money can be actual cash, using their credit card to make unauthorized or fraudulent purchases, or any number of other financial offenses.

Money laundering

Money laundering is typically prosecuted as a federal crime. It means obtaining funds from criminal activities through seemingly legitimate means. There are a wide variety of ways to launder money, from the simple to the extremely complex.

Corruption

Federal law strictly prohibits any government employees or agents from having a financial interest in any contract they make in an official capacity or by any board of which they’re a member. This means that, as a government employee, you can’t be involved in any contract or law that could potentially cause you or a party close to you to gain financially.

RICO violations

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal law that lays down penalties on members of organized criminal associations. RICO law establishes dozens of types of racketeering activities – including crimes like:

• Arson
• Bribery
• Drug trafficking
• Gambling
• Homicide
• Kidnapping
• Mail and wire fraud
• Prostitution
• Weapons crimes

If you’ve been accused of any type of white-collar crime, get in touch with The Law Offices of A. Randolph Hough, P.A. immediately for seasoned criminal defense. Clients we serve include employees, government workers, upper-level managers, executives, board members, politicians, and public officials throughout South Carolina.