What Are White-Collar Crimes in Illinois?

 Posted on June 07, 2024 in Criminal Defense

White-collar crimes are nonviolent crimes typically committed to avoid losing money or to gain a personal or business advantage. They are taken seriously in Illinois and are often tied to federal investigations and charges.

Dealing with accusations of a white-collar crime in Illinois can seriously damage your personal and professional reputation, and the penalties associated with white-collar crimes will greatly impact your future. A skilled Illinois white-collar criminal defense lawyer is key to defending against white-collar crime accusations.

Common White-Collar Crimes in Illinois

The Illinois Criminal Code outlines a number of fraudulent and deceptive practices that can be considered white-collar crimes. This type of crime typically involves altering or tampering with financial information or attempting to conceal and deceive information for personal and business gains.

Common types of white-collar crimes include:

• Fraud, including credit card fraud, bank fraud, pyramid schemes, securities fraud (also known as insider trading), and mortgage fraud
• Identity theft
• Forgery, such as changing or creating a document to defraud a person or entity like a bank
• Tax evasion, which also often involves federal charges
• Embezzlement
• Money laundering
• Bribery

How Are White-Collar Crimes Prosecuted?

White-collar crimes can be charged as both misdemeanors and felonies, depending on the type of white-collar crime, the amount of money involved, and the number of parties involved in a scheme or crime.

In general, white-collar crimes involving money, goods, services, or property valued at $500 or less are likely to be misdemeanors, while anything higher in value may be considered a felony.

Additionally, for a white-collar crime to be prosecuted successfully, intent must be proven. This means that the prosecutor must show that anyone accused of a white-collar crime intended to commit that crime to secure a conviction.

What Penalties Are Associated With White-Collar Crimes?

Penalties for white-collar crimes vary, and these variations are also based on the value amount of a crime and whether or not an alleged offender has prior convictions for the same or similar crimes. Federal charges for white-collar crimes are also more likely to carry harsher penalties than Illinois state charges.

In general, convictions of white-collar crimes may carry any of the following penalties:

• Imprisonment
• Fines
• Restitution
• Probation
• Community service orders
• Forfeiture of property or assets

If accused of a white-collar crime in Illinois, it is important to obtain a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible to start building a defense against these charges and minimize their impact on your future.

Contact a Naperville, IL White-Collar Crimes Defense Attorney

White-collar crime in Illinois is an umbrella term for many different crimes, though the common theme with these crimes is that they are nonviolent and involve deceptive practices around money and personal or business gain. If you have been accused of a white-collar crime, skilled legal counsel from a Naperville, IL white-collar crime defense lawyer is necessary to help defend against these charges.

Attorney Nathe understands the legal system from both sides as a former Assistant State’s Attorney, and he knows the importance of an aggressive defensive strategy.

Call the Law Office of Philip R. Nathe at 630-416-7600 for a free consultation.