White-Collar Defense
REQUEST A FREE CONSULTATIONWHITE-COLLAR CRIMINAL DEFENSE AND GOVERNMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS
Steve Crane Jr. conducts sensitive internal investigations aimed at uncovering or resolving allegations of officer, director, trustee, or employee misconduct. In the course of these internal investigations, he provides advice and counsel designed to avoid regulatory intervention and mitigate risk.
White-Collar Defense Experience
Steve has more than 20 years of experience, defending individual and corporate clients in significant white-collar criminal cases. He counsels individuals and corporations in dealings and negotiations with the government prior to filed charges. He defends clients during all phases of a criminal case, including the initial appearance, pretrial proceedings, and possible plea negotiation.
Steve is recognized by his peers, in this community and throughout the country as an exceptional trial attorney and for his exceptional handling of criminal appeals.
He has extensive civil and criminal trial experience that includes bank, mail, wire, and securities fraud offenses, healthcare fraud and illegal kickback offenses, tax offenses, RICO (criminal and civil), controlled substance offenses involving physicians and pharmacies, and other types of government program fraud.
White-Collar Criminal Defense Success
Steve has been highly successful in white-collar criminal defense and governmental investigations because of his extensive [strike word] familiarity with the government agencies that conduct investigations resulting in criminal or other regulatory enforcement actions, including the United States Department of Justice, multiple state attorneys general offices, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Labor, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other state agencies.
If you have a dispute involving white-collar criminal defense and governmental investigations, you should contact Steve. He and his team can assess the facts of your case and help you determine the best course of action to move forward.
To schedule a discrete and confidential consultation about your matter, email or Steve at (248) 963-6300.
White-Collar Defense Attorney
WHAT IS WHITE COLLAR CRIMES DEFENSE?
White-collar crimes are nonviolent crimes that are usually committed in commercial settings by individuals or corporations for financial gain. Allegations of such crimes may include a variety of offenses such as antitrust, fraud, tax offenses, securities violations, money laundering, embezzlement, bribery, public corruption, theft of trade secrets, economic espionage, environmental crimes, and other nonviolent crimes. The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines “white-collar crimes” as a “range of frauds committed by business and government professionals.”
ARE WHITE COLLAR CRIMES PUNISHABLE UNDER FEDERAL STATUTES?
White collar crimes are punishable under various federal statutes, including, among others, the Bank Secrecy Act, the False Claims Act, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970, the Securities Act, and Securities Exchange Act, the Sherman Act, and the Tax Code, as well as environmental statutes, intellectual property statutes, and numerous provisions of the Federal Criminal Code.
These statutes are enforced by a number of federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Trade Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, the Secret Service, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Penalties for violations of these statutes may be significant and may include terms of imprisonment, fines, home detention, forfeiture, restitution, and supervised release.
WHAT IS “RICO”?
The federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) was enacted in 1970 and was originally used primarily to prosecute “Mafia” organized crime cases. In recent years, however, RICO prosecutions and civil lawsuits have become much broader in scope, with headline-making RICO cases being brought against prominent organizations such as Catholic dioceses, police departments, and Major League Baseball.
To be charged with a violation of RICO, at least two of the “racketeering activities” listed by the statute must have been committed through the enterprise in a ten-year period. However, “leaders” of a criminal enterprise can be charged where they ordered or assisted the commission of the racketeering activities, even where they did not commit the crimes themselves.
Violations of RICO may result in civil and criminal penalties, including imprisonment up to a life term and fines of up to $500,000 for organizations and $250,000 for individuals for each offense. Moreover, civil actions may be brought under RICO not only by the federal government but also by private individuals, and successful plaintiffs may be awarded triple damages. In addition, a RICO conviction can result in permanent forfeiture of assets related to the enterprise or of the defendant’s other assets of equal value, and these assets can be seized at the commencement of the case, pending the final outcome.
WHAT IS EMBEZZLEMENT?
Embezzlement is a criminal offense generally consisting of the fraudulent conversion of property belonging to another by someone who has lawful possession of the property; it may often take the form of theft of an employer’s funds by an employee or theft of a client’s funds by a guardian or fiduciary.
Embezzlement is punishable as a federal criminal offense under 18 U.S.C. § 641, where the property which is fraudulently converted belongs to, or is under contract with, the federal government.
Other federal criminal statutes prohibit specific forms of embezzlement, such as embezzlement by a bank employee and embezzlement of employee benefit plans or healthcare funds. Embezzlement of property belonging to a private individual or entity is generally punishable under state, rather than federal, laws. Both federal and state statutes provide strict criminal penalties for embezzlement; embezzlement is punishable by imprisonment of up to ten (10) years and significant fines under the federal statute.
WHAT IF THERE IS A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION?
A federal investigation can draw you in as a potential witness, suspect, or target. It is essential that you hire qualified counsel early to guide you through the process and safeguard your rights. A skilled defense attorney who is retained in the early stages of an investigation may be able to resolve a criminal matter before it ever goes to trial. In addition, a defense attorney can help to ensure that you do not make statements or take actions during an investigation that may later be used against you.
If you have a dispute involving white-collar criminal defense and governmental investigations, you should contact Steve. He and his team can assess the facts of your case and help you determine the best course of action to move forward.
To schedule a discrete and confidential consultation about your matter, email or call Steve at (248) 963-6300.