Orlando White Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer
Capable defense to complex charges of fraud, embezzlement and racketeering
The term white collar crime refers to virtually any nonviolent means of wrongfully diverting money or property from its rightful owners. It may be carried out by official corruption, abuse of a position of trust or multiple types of fraud. However, even negligence or incompetence in the handling of other people’s money can result in criminal charges, especially when high dollar values are involved. If you have been accused or are under investigation for a crime of this nature, you need capable legal counsel immediately. When you contact The Law Offices of Tad A. Yates, P.A., you get knowledgeable representation from a skilled lawyer determined to protect your rights.
Common white collar fraud schemes
Fraud is theft by deception. It may be carried out by an individual or a business enterprise and may target lending institutions, corporations, the government or individual consumers.
- Healthcare fraud — Medicare and Medicaid are often targets of fraud schemes. Doctors may charge for services they did not perform or for treatments not needed for the patient’s health.
- Insurance fraud — Among the types of insurance form are faking or exaggerating auto accident or workplace injuries, sometimes in collusion with body shops and healthcare providers.
- Bank fraud — Falsification of applications for loans, including misrepresentation of property used as security, are examples of bank fraud.
- Securities fraud — Selling phony securities, manipulating the price of shares or purchasing shares based on inside information are all violations of federal criminal law.
- Tax fraud — Money laundering, underreporting income and other means of cheating the government of tax revenue can be prosecuted as fraud.
- Credit card fraud — This form of fraud includes making misrepresentations to obtain credit, using another person’s credit card information to obtain goods and services or otherwise deriving credit without paying it back.
- Identity theft —An increasing prevalent mode of fraud involves harvesting other people’s personal information and using it to one’s advantage.
- Honest services theft — Bribery of a public official and other forms of corruption are known as depriving the public of its right to honest government services and can be the subject of federal criminal charges.
- Forgery — Whether it’s counterfeit currency or knock-off merchandise, forgery is a type of theft by deception. Counterfeit merchandise harms the unwary public and the company that has the right to distribute the genuine articles.
These criminal schemes and activities violate state and federal law, subjecting the perpetrators to felony charges and potentially severe prison terms.
Racketeering law covers white-collar offenses
Among the federal government’s arsenal of tools to fight white collar crime is the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), passed by Congress in 1970 to help the U.S. Department of Justice fight organized crime. However, it can also be used to prosecute illicit activity not related to traditional gangland enterprises. The law covers a host of violations from bribery and drug trafficking to money laundering. Any two criminal acts that fall into these categories can trigger RICO, even if they happened up to 10 years apart.
Early engagement yields the best results
When you are accused or under investigation for any of these crimes, you need a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney. Mr. Yates draws on more than 27 years of criminal defense experience and can often resolve issues before charges are even brought. Too often, people who find themselves targets of an investigation make rash and hasty decisions. Rather than make a mistake that could make things worse, retain Mr. Yates at once, so he can begin protecting your rights and working towards a favorable resolution.
Contact a capable defense attorney in Orlando for a white collar crime consultation
Charges of fraud or criminal conspiracy can destroy your business and ruin your future. If you face a white collar crime investigation, call The Law Offices of Tad A. Yates, P.A. at 407-608-7777 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
