Fort Lauderdale White Collar Crime Attorney
White collar crimes are investigated by specific federal agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax offenses and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for securities fraud. Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the nation’s chief law enforcement agency, has jurisdiction over dozens of federal laws dealing with corporate fraud, identity theft, money laundering, mortgage fraud, theft or piracy of intellectual property, and health care fraud, to name a few. These agencies have enormous resources in terms of financial and human resources to investigate and prosecute white collar criminal offenses, and they vigorously pursue alleged offenses and seek maximum penalties against the accused.
If you’ve been charged with a white collar criminal offense, it is vital to retain a high-quality, experienced Fort Lauderdale white collar crime attorney to represent you. Bruce L. Udolf has 40 years of experience as a white collar criminal trial lawyer, including decades as a federal prosecutor and defense attorney handling white collar crimes in Fort Lauderdale and South Florida.
What is white collar crime?
The FBI defines white collar crime as “the full range of frauds committed by business and government professionals.” According to the FBI, white collar crimes are “characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust and are not dependent on the application or threat of physical force or violence. The motivation behind these crimes is financial—to obtain or avoid losing money, property, or services or to secure a personal or business advantage.”
The number of white collar criminal offenses on the books is far too numerous to mention. Some of the main categories of Fort Lauderdale white collar crimes handled at the law office of Bruce L. Udolf, P.A include:
- Credit Card Fraud
- Identity Theft
- Cybercrime
- Mail & Wire Fraud
- Securities Fraud
- Health Care Fraud
- Mortgage Fraud
- Public Corruption
- Money Laundering
- Tax Charges
- Computer Crimes
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- RICO/Racketeering
What are the penalties for conviction of a white collar crime in Fort Lauderdale?
The government does its best to hit you where it hurts when it comes to prosecuting white collar crime in Fort Lauderdale; namely, your liberty and your pocketbook. Regarding your liberty, punishment can range from home detention, community confinement or supervised release to years in federal prison. Financially, fines can be ridiculously high, in the tens or hundreds of thousands. On top of the fines, the government avidly pursues an asset forfeiture program to take as much of your property as it can. You can also be required to pay restitution to victims of the crime. You can even be required to pay the cost of your own prosecution.
The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines recommend longer sentences in cases where conduct caused substantial financial harm to even just one victim. The Guidelines also provide for the possibility of more lenient treatment if the accused takes responsibility for the actions and helps the government with its case. Fort Lauderdale white collar criminal defense attorney Bruce L. Udolf understands what is at stake and fights to get the best outcome in your particular circumstances, whether that means taking a plea for probation or a lighter sentence or defending you in court in anticipation of securing a dismissal, acquittal or not guilty verdict.
Top Rated Fort Lauderdale White Collar Crime Attorney
If you’ve been arrested for fraud or other white collar crimes in Fort Lauderdale, call Bruce L. Udolf, P.A., for a confidential consultation concerning the charges against you and how best to deal with them.
