White Collar Crime Defense Lawyers  

In the intricate world of business and finance, allegations of white-collar crime can have far-reaching consequences, threatening careers, reputations, and personal freedom. If you’re facing charges related to financial misconduct, understanding your rights and the complexities of white-collar criminal defense is essential. At Coumanis & York P.C., we defend clients against a wide range of white-collar crime accusations, providing vigorous representation to safeguard your interests.  

Understanding White Collar Crime Charges  

White-collar crimes typically involve financial misconduct, often occurring in business or professional settings. These cases are characterized by their complexity, frequently involving voluminous financial records, expert testimony, and intricate legal and regulatory frameworks. At Coumanis & York P.C., we defend clients against a wide range of white-collar crime charges, including: 

Securities Fraud 

This involves deceptive practices in the stock and commodity markets. It can include insider trading, Ponzi schemes, or making false statements about a company’s financial health. Defending against securities fraud often requires in-depth knowledge of complex financial regulations and market practices. 

Embezzlement 

Embezzlement occurs when someone misappropriates assets they were entrusted to manage or safeguard. This could involve an employee diverting company funds or a trustee misusing assets from an estate. Defense strategies often focus on proving authorized use or challenging the prosecution’s evidence of misappropriation. 

Money Laundering 

This crime involves concealing the origins of illegally obtained money. It typically occurs in three stages: placement, layering, and integration. Defending against money laundering charges often involves scrutinizing the paper trail of financial transactions and challenging the prosecution’s evidence of knowledge or intent. 

Tax Evasion 

Tax evasion is the illegal underpayment or nonpayment of taxes. This can include underreporting income, inflating deductions, or hiding money in offshore accounts. Defenses often center on demonstrating good faith compliance efforts or challenging the government’s calculation of taxes owed. 

Wire Fraud 

Wire fraud involves using electronic communications (phone, email, internet) to execute a scheme to defraud. This broad category can encompass various fraudulent activities. Defending against wire fraud often involves challenging the prosecution’s evidence of intent to defraud or the use of interstate communications. 

Bank Fraud 

This involves knowingly executing or attempting to execute a scheme to defraud a financial institution. It can include check kiting, loan fraud, or identity theft. Defense strategies may focus on a lack of intent or challenging the prosecution’s evidence of a scheme to defraud. 

Healthcare Fraud 

Healthcare fraud involves filing dishonest healthcare claims to turn a profit. This can include billing for services not rendered, upcoding, or kickback schemes. Defenses often involve demonstrating compliance with complex healthcare regulations or challenging the prosecution’s evidence of fraudulent intent. 

Insider Trading 

Insider trading is the illegal use of non-public material information about a company to trade in its stocks. Defending against insider trading charges often involves challenging the materiality of the information or the defendant’s knowledge that the information was non-public. 

Antitrust Violations 

These involve practices that undermine fair competition in the marketplace, such as price fixing or bid rigging. Defenses may focus on challenging the prosecution’s evidence of an agreement between competitors or demonstrating that the practices in question were not anti-competitive. 

Intellectual Property Theft 

This involves the unauthorized use or reproduction of inventions, creative works, or trade secrets protected by patents, copyrights, or trademarks. Defenses might include challenging the validity of intellectual property rights or arguing fair use. 

Bribery and Corruption 

These crimes involve offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting something of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in the discharge of a public or legal duty. Defenses often focus on challenging the prosecution’s evidence of a quid pro quo arrangement or demonstrating that the alleged bribe was a legitimate business transaction. 

The Nature of White-Collar Crime Investigations  

White-collar crime investigations are often lengthy and complex processes. Federal agencies such as the FBI, SEC, and IRS may spend months or even years gathering evidence before making an arrest or filing charges. During this time, individuals may be unaware that they are under investigation. This is why it’s essential to engage experienced legal counsel at the first sign of an investigation. 

Our defense team at Coumanis & York P.C. is well-versed in the nuances of these investigations. We understand the tactics used by federal investigators and prosecutors, and we know how to protect our clients’ rights throughout the process.  

From the moment you engage our services, we work to: 

• Assess the scope and nature of the investigation. 

• Advise you on how to interact with investigators. 

• Protect you from self-incrimination. 

• Preserve and gather evidence that may be crucial to your defense. 

• Negotiate with prosecutors to limit the scope of the investigation or prevent charges from being filed. 

Key Defense Strategies in White Collar Cases  

Early Intervention 

Early involvement of a defense attorney can be critical in white-collar cases. By engaging our services at the first sign of an investigation, we can: 

• Guide you through initial investigations, protecting your rights during questioning. 

• Advise on interactions with law enforcement to prevent self-incrimination. 

• Begin building your defense before formal charges are filed. 

• Potentially negotiate with prosecutors to limit charges or prevent them altogether. 

Challenging the Evidence 

White-collar cases often hinge on complex financial evidence. Our defense strategies include: 

• Scrutinizing the prosecution’s financial analysis for errors or misinterpretations. 

• Engaging forensic accountants to provide alternative interpretations of financial data. 

• Challenging the admissibility of improperly obtained evidence. 

• Identifying gaps or inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case. 

Intent and Knowledge Defense 

Many white-collar crimes require proof of intent, which can be challenging for prosecutors to establish. We focus on demonstrating: 

• Lack of criminal intent. 

• Good faith actions based on available information. 

• Reliance on expert advice or established company practices. 

Constitutional Protections 

We vigorously protect your constitutional rights throughout the legal process. This includes: 

• Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. 

• Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. 

• Due process rights throughout the legal proceedings. 

Negotiation and Plea Bargaining 

When appropriate, we engage in strategic negotiations to: 

• Reduce charges. 

• Minimize penalties. 

• Explore alternative resolutions, such as deferred prosecution agreements. 

Trial Defense 

If your case goes to trial, our experienced litigators will: 

• Present a compelling narrative that contextualizes your actions. 

• Cross-examine prosecution witnesses effectively. 

• Introduce expert testimony to support your defense. 

• Craft persuasive arguments to the judge and jury. 

Navigating Specific White-Collar Charges  

Securities Fraud Defense 

Securities fraud cases often involve complex financial transactions and regulations. Our defense approach includes: 

• Demonstrating compliance with SEC regulations. 

• Highlighting the complexity of securities laws to show a lack of criminal intent. 

• Showing that alleged misstatements were not material to investment decisions. 

Embezzlement Defense 

Embezzlement cases require prosecutors to prove that funds were taken without permission and with intent to deprive the owner. Our approach includes: 

• Proving authorized access to funds. 

• Demonstrating a lack of intent to deprive the owner permanently. 

• Challenging the accuracy of financial records. 

Money Laundering Defense 

Money laundering charges require prosecutors to prove that the defendant knowingly engaged in financial transactions with illegally obtained funds. We focus on: 

• Contesting the illegality of the source funds. 

• Challenging the prosecution’s tracing of financial transactions. 

• Demonstrating a lack of knowledge about the source of funds. 

Tax Evasion Defense 

Tax evasion cases often hinge on the question of willfulness. Our strategies involve: 

• Showing good faith efforts to comply with tax laws. 

• Highlighting the complexity of tax regulations. 

• Demonstrating reliance on professional tax advice. 

The Importance of Experienced Counsel  

White-collar crime cases require a defense team with: 

• Deep understanding of financial regulations and business practices. 

• Experience in both federal and state courts. 

• Ability to navigate complex investigations. 

• Skill in managing high-stakes, high-profile cases. 

At Coumanis & York P.C., we bring several years of experience in white-collar criminal defense. We understand that these charges threaten not just your legal standing, but your professional reputation and personal life as well. Contact us today for a confidential consultation with one of our attorneys.