Seek an attorney that understands state and federal laws.
A white collar crime attorney in SC needs to be familiar with both state and federal laws since some white collar crimes are prosecuted at the state level and others at the federal level. As a former prosecutor, white collar crime lawyer Kent Collins has experience that allows him to examine a white collar case from many different angles. This experience allows him to bring forth a defense that has served his clients well.
If you are facing a white collar crime charge in South Carolina you may be asking yourself a million questions, like:
“Why am I facing a white collar crime?”
“Doesn’t this only happen to extremely wealthy people on Wall Street?”
White collar crime is actually more common than you may think. While the most publicized white collar crimes involve elaborate schemes and millions of dollars, that isn’t necessary. Not every person accused of a white collar crime is like Enron or AIG.
Even if the facts of your case aren’t straight out of a movie, you could be facing some harsh consequences. Many white collar crime cases involve misconduct at work and if this describes your case you are probably facing the loss of your job. Other penalties can include jail time and hefty fines, not to mention the fact that a conviction for a white collar crime will follow you on a background check and could affect your employment possibilities in the future.
If you have found yourself in this situation, you need a South Carolina white collar crime attorney to answer your questions. Having a good understand of what you are facing is the best place to start.
White Collar Crime Basics
What is a “white collar crime?”
White collar crimes typically are committed to bring about financial gain. A few of the most well-known white collar crimes are money laundering, embezzlement, and fraud. Generally, white collar crimes are:
- nonviolent,
- financially-motivated offenses,
- committed by business professionals
- involving dishonesty.
There are a number of charges that fall under white collar crime. A South Carolina white collar crime lawyer can explain the details of the particular charge you are facing.
What charges fall under white collar crime in SC?
Here are several of the great number of crimes that fall under white collar crime in South Carolina:
Check fraud | Securities fraud | Bank fraud | Credit card fraud |
Wire fraud | Mail fraud | Tax evasion | Embezzlement |
Counterfeiting | Money laundering | Insider trading | Bribery |
White Collar Crime consequences
The penalties for white collar crimes vary according to which crime you are charged with. Generally you may be sentenced to jail time, and/or a fine. In some cases you may even be able to walk away with probation.
Don’t believe the myth that white collar criminals are given a pass, that their punishment is “easy.” If you are convicted of a white collar crime in South Carolina and sentenced to jail time, you won’t necessarily be spending your time in a minimum security, cushy jail. You will be serving hard prison time, just like anyone else convicted of an offense. There is no guarantee that you will be placed in a minimum security facility.
Another major concern with white collar crimes is civil liability. Civil suits brought against you by the government, or victims of the crime are in addition to the criminal case you face. These suits can be for repayment of money lost by the victim or for the profits you made as a result of the crime by the government.
Criminal Defense for white collar crimes
There are a number of defenses to your charges that may be available to you. A white collar crime lawyer can go over them with you and analyze if any of them apply to your case.
Showing a Lack of Intent
Many white collar crimes require specific intent on the part of the defendant. This means that the defendant intentionally acted for the purpose of committing the crime. If you are able to show that you did not have the intention of committing the crime charged, your case may even get dropped.
Entrapment
Entrapment occurs when law enforcement induces, coerces, or forces an individual to break the law when they would not have otherwise done so. This is a very solid defense if it is available to you.
Why hire a white collar criminal defense attorney?
If you are facing white collar crime charges, you need a South Carolina white collar crime lawyer by your side. When facing a life altering situation don’t you want to provide yourself the best fighting chance?
- Kent Collins has handled thousands of cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies.
- He has over 8 years of experience in private practice and also worked as a prosecutor.
- Kent Collins and his team put communicating with clients first.
- He has private investigators on his team that are former narcotics officers. They provide a police officer’s point of view, which is helpful when building a defense strategy.
Kent represents people facing white collar crimes in Aiken, Newberry, Lexington or Columbia, SC. If you’re looking for a SC white collar crime attorney who puts your best interest at heart and has defended clients from criminal charges of all kinds, dial 803-808-0905 or click here to send us an email.
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