White collar crime is not just a term to describe the crimes committed by business executives. In fact, many “white collar crimes” are committed by people of various income levels and occupations. The term “white collar crime” covers a wide variety of offenses but usually involve an element of fraud.
Prosecutors have been cracking down on the various fraud offenses—especially cyber fraud and fraud that targets senior citizens. Many fraud offenses are considered to be crimes of confidence. In other words, people are charged for benefiting from violating the trust of another. Other fraud offenses are charged when a person makes a false statement to law enforcement or to another agent of the government.
Forgery and Fraudulent Practices
§ 4101. Forgery.
§ 4101.1. Digital forgery.
§ 4102. Simulating objects of antiquity, rarity, etc.
§ 4103. Fraudulent destruction, removal or concealment of recordable instruments.
§ 4104. Tampering with records or identification.
§ 4105. Bad checks.
§ 4106. Access device fraud.
§ 4106.1. Unlawful device-making equipment.
§ 4107. Deceptive or fraudulent business practices.
§ 4107.1. Deception relating to kosher food products.
§ 4107.2. Deception relating to certification of minority business enterprise or women’s business enterprise.
§ 4108. Commercial bribery and breach of duty to act disinterestedly.
§ 4109. Rigging publicly exhibited contest.
§ 4110. Defrauding secured creditors.
§ 4111. Fraud in insolvency.
§ 4112. Receiving deposits in a failing financial institution.
§ 4113. Misapplication of entrusted property and property of government or financial institutions.
§ 4114. Securing execution of documents by deception.
§ 4115. Falsely impersonating persons privately employed.
§ 4116. Copying; recording devices (also known as bootlegging)
§ 4116.1. Unlawful operation of recording device in motion picture theater (also known as bootlegging)
§ 4117. Insurance fraud.
§ 4118. Washing vehicle titles.
§ 4119. Trademark counterfeiting.
§ 4120. Identity theft.
§ 4121. Possession and use of unlawful devices.
Many defendants who are facing a fraud charge often have no prior criminal record. This unfamiliarity with the process often leads defendants to underestimate the type of penalties that they may face if they are convicted. It is always a good idea to talk to an experienced lawyer to talk about the possible penalties and different ways that a case can be resolved.
Defendants who are charged with fraud are sometimes eligible for diversionary programs that let them have their charges reduced or end up without a criminal record after finishing court-ordered programs and paying restitution. If you are facing fraud charges, you should find out if you’re eligible for one of those special programs