Atlanta White Collar Crime Attorney

White Collar Crimes

Atlanta White Collar Crimes Defense Attorney

White collar crime is generally confined to extremely unethical, illegal behaviors such as bribery or extortion, or acts through which a person attempts illegal monetary gains through acts such as embezzlement, fraud, or theft. Conviction of a white-collar crime will almost certainly be a death blow to any hope of future employment in a professional career.

If you’re facing a charge of white-collar crime in Atlanta, GA, you need to speak with a seasoned white-collar crimes defense attorney like Lawrence J. Zimmerman. Mr. Zimmerman. He can advocate for you in court and help you get an excellent legal defense.

What Is White-Collar Crime?

White-collar crimes are offenses that are financial but do not contain any violence. Although mugging and embezzlement are both ways for someone to gain money illegally, they are not treated the same by courts. Embezzlement is a white-collar crime because it does not use physical violence or threats, whereas mugging does.

Despite the non-violent nature of the offenses, white-collar crimes are still serious matters. Depending on the type of crime you commit, you may get the attention of the FBI or other federal agencies. You need to find legal representation if someone accuses you of a white-collar crime.

Examples of white-collar crime include conspiracy of corporate officers, elected officials, politicians or employees. An example of such white collar crimes would be bribery, insider trading, accepting kickbacks, embezzlement, misuse of taxpayer funds, and related illegal acts.

Do I Need to Speak With an Attorney If I’m Accused of a White-Collar Crime?

The federal court system and the prosecution of white-collar crimes is very complex. A successful defense of white-collar criminal charges requires an attorney that understands the nuances and fine points of the law. Federal crimes typically mandate harsh penalties, excessive fines, and long prison sentences. It is very important that you hire a federal crimes defense attorney as soon as you are arrested or suspect that you are under investigation for any federal crime.

We strongly advise against speaking with prosecutors, district attorneys or federal agents without having legal counsel present. Additionally, you should recover any records or evidence that can support your defense before it goes missing or is destroyed.

There are no laws that say you must speak to an attorney or work with one when facing prosecution for a white-collar crime. Some people choose to represent themselves in the matter. However, we strongly advise against this approach.

Judges will expect you to have the same knowledge as an attorney, and you won’t have much time to go over even the basics of white-collar laws. You will have slightly more latitude to proceed than an attorney, but the standard for knowledge is too high for a layperson.

Additionally, you will likely be feeling plenty of emotions when facing white-collar prosecution. You may be scared or afraid of the consequences, or you might be confused by why you’re facing prosecution at all. An experienced Atlanta white-collar crime attorney and law firm can give you unbiased advice from a place of knowledge.

What Types of White-Collar Crime Does Lawrence J. Zimmerman Work On?

White-collar crimes vary in scope, and some even end up as federal crimes. Lawrence J. Zimmerman takes on many kinds of white-collar crimes. Here are some of the ways he can help.

Bribery

Bribery is a very common white-collar crime, and someone who is accused of it may not even know that they were committing a crime at all. Bribery comes in many different forms, but it always involves someone giving money for some type of advantage.

You may use the money to convince a public official to do something for you. It could be as simple as paying extra for a permit or the right to work a job for the government. Bribing a state official is a state crime, while bribery of federal officials constitutes a federal crime.

Bribery can also happen in a business or between two companies. Law enforcement has a harder time figuring out bribery in a business, which is where whistleblowers and wiretaps can be useful.

Embezzlement

Embezzlement occurs when one party is given funds or assets for a specific task and neglects to use them in the appropriate manner. Embezzlement happens in both business and government settings.

The goal of embezzlement is to either make the embezzler rich or to assist a conspiracy of people in gaining money or power.

For instance, a company might put someone in charge of handling the business’s payroll. If that person decides to lie about a worker’s hours to pocket the money, they are committing embezzlement.

In another example, a high-ranking official in a company has a fund they can use to cover business expenses. If that person decides to create false bills or receipts for expenses that never occurred and then disperse the money to their friends, they would also be committing embezzlement.

Embezzlement is a serious crime, and the charges can get severe if the government is involved. If law enforcement charges you with embezzlement, you need to trust an Atlanta white-collar lawyer and law firm with experience in all matters of white-collar crime.

FAQs About Atlanta, GA White Collar Crime Law

How Do They Investigate White-Collar Crime?

White-collar crimes often attract the attention of high-ranking members of law enforcement. As such, they will have plenty of weapons at their disposal to investigate the crimes. Law enforcement may use a search warrant or wiretap to gather information related to the crime. Investigators may seize electronic records to try to uncover a paper trail of the alleged offense.

Whistleblowers often kick off many white-collar investigations. They may provide a journalist or investigator with a tip of illegal activity.

What Are the Most Common White-Collar Crimes?

Fraud is by and far the most common kind of white-collar crime and accounts for over 60 percent of all reported white-collar infractions. Fraud covers a wide range of charges, but they involve any person who uses illegal methods to gain an unfair advantage.

After fraud, the other most common white-collar crimes are embezzlement and theft. Identity theft is another rapidly growing white-collar crime.

What Are the Consequences of White-Collar Crimes?

Punishments for a white-collar crime conviction vary greatly depending on the type of offense and the financial gains from the infraction. Some of those who are convicted deal with smaller penalties like fines or paying for the cost of prosecution.

More severe crimes may land the alleged in house arrest or jail time. Having an experienced Atlanta white-collar crime attorney and law firm on your side can help mitigate harsher sentences.

How Severe Are White-Collar Crimes?

White-collar crimes can vary widely in nature and scope, with some being minor and affecting one or two people. These crimes are generally not very severe. Some white-collar crimes involve entire companies or organizations and are incredibly severe crimes.

Some white-collar crimes have brought down entire companies. The most famous example of this is the Enron scandal. Other crimes in trusted institutions may erode the people’s trust and lead to a reckoning for all involved.

Lawrence J. Zimmerman: An Atlanta White-Collar Defense Attorney You Can Trust

Lawrence Zimmerman can advise you as to what type of records and information are useful and how to act during your ordeal. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of facing federal criminal charges you must do everything in your power to help your case.

If you’re facing a white-collar charge, contact us today for a consultation so we can discuss your case and get started on your legal defense. White-collar crimes are a serious matter, so let us take care of your case.