The stakes involved in a white-collar crime conviction are severe. Defendants convicted of white-collar crimes in Arkansas face federal prison sentences of 25 years to life. Defendants who are convicted may also face serious six or seven-figure penalties. White-collar crimes are incredibly severe in Arkansas and include charges of fraud, embezzlement, tax evasion, and money laundering.
Contact an Experienced Arkansas White Collar Crimes Attorney
Many people facing a white-collar crime charge are not familiar with the federal criminal defense process. Prosecutors often charge executives, government officials, and other business people with white-collar crimes. At the Law Offices of Bryce Cook, we are ready and prepared to fight assertively on behalf of our clients.
Founding attorney Bryce Cook puts his extensive criminal defense experience to use in fighting for the rights of his client. Whether it’s negotiating a plea deal to fiercely representing clients in criminal court, we will fight for our clients every step of the way.
Types of White Collar Crimes
White-collar crimes include any non-violent act that involves some fraud or deception. White-collar crimes are motivated by financial gain. The term white-collar crime came about in the late 1940s when the sociologist Edwin Sutherland defined white-collar crime as one “committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation.” The following crimes are white-collar crimes:
- Bank fraud
- Blackmail
- Bribery
- Cellular phone fraud
- Computer fraud
- Counterfeiting
- Credit card fraud
- Currency schemes
- Embezzlement
- Extortion
- Forgery
- Health care fraud
- Insider trading
- Insurance fraud
- Investment schemes
- Larceny or theft
- Money laundering
- Securities fraud
- Tax evasion
- Telemarketing fraud
- Welfare fraud
- Weights and measures
- Medicaid and Medicare fraud
Arkansas Medicare Fraud Attorney
Many people may not realize that Medicare fraud is a serious white-collar crime. Every year, the federal Medicare system pays billions of dollars to health care officials all over the country. The massive size of the federal Medicare system makes it highly susceptible to fraudulent activity. Medicare fraud happens when someone submits fraudulent billings for medical services that never happened.
Or, a health care provider might inflate the medical billings beyond the real costs of the procedures. Because of the massive extent of Medicare fraud, several federal agencies work to devote significant resources to targeting fraudulent billings. Unfortunately, many legitimate and innocent health care providers can face Medicare fraud charges. If you are facing Medicare fraud charges, contact the white-collar crime legal team at the Law Offices of Bryce Cook today.
Arkansas Bank Fraud Attorneys
The crime of bank fraud involves using illegal measures to gain the assets or money of a financial institution. Bank employees, investment advisors, and everyday individuals can face bank fraud charges. The penalties for a bank fraud conviction can include a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. Examples of bank fraud include the following:
- Financial institutions offer products without disclosing charges and penalties
- When financial offers charge fees to maximize charges to the customer
- When institutes sell deferred annuities or unsuitable products to customers
- Selling unsuitable investments to consumers, including targeting seniors
Arkansas Money laundering Attorneys
The crime of money laundering includes attempting or making illegally obtained money appear legally obtained. In other words, money laundering happens when someone tries to make “dirty money” appear to be “clean.” Several different federal statutes make money laundering a criminal action. The federal government uses significant resources and personnel power to investigate and prosecute money laundering schemes.
Arkansas residents may find themselves under investigation for the crime of money laundering related to other federal crimes, including drug crimes, gambling crimes, and nonpayment of taxes. Criminal penalties for federal money laundering schemes have increased in recent years. Defendants who are facing money laundering charges face an average prison sentence of six years. Additionally, federal prosecutors often seize the defendant’s cash, cars, and real estate while investigating federal money laundering schemes.
Arkansas Computer Fraud Attorneys
The federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) is an anti-hacking law. The CFAA makes it illegal to “hack” into or intentionally access a computer without authorization. The crime also includes illegally accessing a computer over authorization. Convicted defendants face civil and criminal penalties. Penalties can include sentences of up to 20 years, or, in severe cases, a sentence of life in federal prison.
The law explicitly protects computers used by the U.S. government or a financial institution. However, the legal definition includes all computers and devices connected to the internet in practice. This federal law makes all of the following activities illegal and punishable under federal law:
- Compromising someone’s online confidentiality
- Obtaining national security information online or via a computer
- Accessing information to obtain value or defraud
- Damaging information or another computer
- Threatening to damage someone else’s computer
- Hacking or trespassing in a government computer
Arkansas Embezzlement Lawyers
Federal prosecutors take the crime of embezzlement exceptionally seriously. Embezzlement is a specific type of fraud or theft that happens when someone entrusted to manage another person’s money or property steals part of that money or property for their gain. In the crime of embezzlement, the defendant had legal access to someone else’s property, but not legal ownership of the property when he or she took the property.
A typical scenario for embezzlement happens when an employee takes money from their employer over time. Perhaps the employee has a legal right to write checks and pay vendors. Every day, the employee takes a few dollars from the employer. He deposits the money into his or her bank account. The employee in this scenario is committing the crime of embezzlement. The penalties for embezzlement can include prison terms and significant fines.
Contact Our Arkansas White-Collar Law Firm Today
Facing white-collar crime charges in Arkansas is serious. Many white-collar crimes come with significant penalties that will negatively affect a defendant’s life for the long-term. If you’re facing charges for a white-collar crime, contact the Law Offices of Bryce Cook as soon as possible to schedule your initial consultation.