While collar crimes are one of the classes of crimes for which a person could possibly end up facing federal prosecution.
A fair amount of the federal government’s criminal cases are white collar crime cases. In the 2013 fiscal year, white collar crimes made up 10.2 percent of the 61,529 criminal cases which were filed by the United States Attorneys’ offices.
There are all manner of different types of white collar crimes that the federal government can pursue prosecutions in relation to. Here are some examples of some of the types of white collar offenses that were among the more common subjects of federal criminal cases filed in fiscal year 2013:
- Federal program fraud (936 cases filed).
- Tax fraud (886 cases filed).
- Bank fraud and embezzlement (760 cases filed).
- Health care fraud (463 cases filed).
- Identity theft (388 cases filed).
Being prosecuted at the federal level can be a much different experience for a white collar crime defendant than being prosecuted at the state level. For instance, the procedures and rules regarding things such as discovery are different in federal criminal cases. Also, cases tend to go more quickly at the federal level. Additionally, federal charges can sometimes have harsher penalties attached to them than the comparable state charges.
Thus, when a person is facing federal prosecution in relation to white collar crime allegations, it can be a very good idea to contact a defense attorney with knowledge and experience regarding federal cases. Such attorneys can help defendants construct a defense strategy that takes into account the specific rules and procedures of federal cases.
Source: United States Department of Justice, “UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS’ ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT – Fiscal Year 2013,” Accessed Oct. 23, 2014
