While the beachside community of West Palm Beach may not seem like an ideal setting for criminal activity, it’s important to remember that white-collar crimes can occur anywhere. If you are accused of white collar crime, you will want a West Palm Beach attorney who can defend you against allegations of white collar crimes.
White-collar crime can occur in any location in any U.S. state. Because white-collar crimes generally do not include acts of violence, it’s tempting to think such criminal acts would be less serious but that would be very inaccurate. Crimes in this category are generally associated with banks, financing, and other businesses involving money and assets.
Since white-collar crimes can be committed in every community, West Palm Beach has no immunity from these activities. In particular, Farkas & Crowley is a top criminal defense law firm that serves West Palm Beach and all of Florida.
Examples of White Collar Crime
- Credit Card Fraud
Refers to any situation where payment cards, specifically credit and debit cards, get used without the cardholder’s consent. Situations involving credit card fraud tend to involve obtaining another person’s card, either through theft or finding it in an unsecured location, and proceeding to use the card as their own.
Florida Statute 817.61 specifically states credit card fraud occurs when an individual attempt to defraud the issuer or a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value or any other person, uses, for the purpose of obtaining money, goods, services, or anything else of value.
- Embezzlement
If you as an employee are given money by your employer and used the funds for yourself, or in a manner that for which is was not intended, that could qualify as embezzlement. For example, you might create a fake bill and receipts and then keep the funds for yourself. On the books, it looks like funds were properly received because of the false documentation, but the reality is the money is missing.
In terms of white-collar crime, embezzlement can be small amounts of money but generally most crimes of embezzlement involve larger amounts of funds or goods being used by an entrusted employee for purposes other than what the funds were intended for. Simply put, individuals who are entrusted with access to an organization’s funds are expected to safeguard those assets for their intended use. It is illegal to intentionally access that money and convert it to personal use.
- Forgery
Forgery is attempting to defraud someone by the use of fake documents. The crime of forgery includes creating fake documents and then try to pass them off as real documents to gain an advantage monetarily for themselves. Forgery can also include faking a signature on on a legal agreement, such as a will in order to gain all assets falsely for themselves.
Interestingly, the forging of identification cards or driver’s licenses falls under a separate state statute. So while having a fake ID might be seen as a forgery on the service, the rules and punishments fall under a different category.
- Identity Theft
Similar to forgery and credit card fraud, identity theft occurs when a person uses the name and identity of another person with the intent of engaging in illegal activity while using that stolen identity as a shield to protect themselves from the legal ramifications of such actions.
Identity theft has become more frequent in the 21st century. As we engage in more and more business in a digital setting, the threat of identity theft becomes more prevalent.
- Tax Evasion
Nobody likes paying taxes. But if you willfully take action to avoid paying taxes by illegal means, you can be charged with tax evasion. Individuals or businesses who take actions that are not legally allowed to avoid or underpay their taxes can be charged.
Contact Us Today
The law firm of Farkas & Crowley serves West Palm Beach and all of Florida and are experienced in rigorously defending their clients against accusations of various white collar type crimes. To find out more about how we can help in your defense white-collar crimes, please contact Farkas and Crowley, P.A., today.
