FBI Investigations

What Exactly Is White-Collar Crime?

As a broad term, white-collar crime covers a wide array of nonviolent crimes that typically involve one form of fraud or another. A good example is bribery, environmental crime, insider trading, embezzlement, tax evasion, forgery, kickbacks, or money laundering. Per the FBI, these crimes can total over $300 billion annually.

What Sort Of Agency Investigates White-Collar Crimes?

Such crimes will fall under the jurisdiction of the FBI. If personnel from any of the federal agencies have questioned you, you may have been the target of white-collar crime.

FBI or Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service or IRS
Securities and Exchange Commission
United States Postal Service
United States Treasury
United States Citizenship and Immigration Service

How Will I Know If I’m Under Such An Investigation?

Unlike other forms of crime or street crimes, where the person is typically unaware of an investigation, white-collar crimes are well-defined when it comes to a target or the pre-indictment phase. Prosecutors may be gathering up evidence in order to present it to the grand jury. This may be what is going on should any of the following things happen.

A representative contacts you from any of the above-mentioned agencies.

A representative contacts you from an analogous state agency.
You’ve received a subpoena for producing business records to a grand jury.
You’re presented with a search warrant in order to seize business records.
You’re given a search warrant to produce business records.
If you receive a letter that targets you or subjects you to an investigation.

What Happens If I Receive A Target Letter?

If you happen to receive such a target letter, you’ll want to retain a lawyer as soon as possible. The last thing that you want to do is deal with this situation on your own.

The sooner that you take the time to contact a competent white-collar defense lawyer, the sooner you’ll be able to relax. It will be far easier to let the lawyer deal with the evidence that is brought against you than for you to try and deal with it on your own.

What Should I Do If I Am Under Investigation?

If you’re under investigation by state or federal investigators, it’s vital that you don’t give any statements or cooperate with them until such time as you’ve retained a lawyer. These people aren’t your friends and speaking to them may help them and hurt you in the long run. The only mission that they are on is to build their case against you.

Skilled defense lawyers in white-collar crimes may be able to get them to close the investigation entirely or at least to change their focus.