Most people who think of white-collar crime think of stock market and business fraud cases. However, white-collar crime involves a wide variety of criminal offenses involving fraud, embezzlement, extortion, computer crimes and conspiracy, as well as stock and securities fraud. Phoenix white collar crime attorney Bruce Blumberg has extensive experience investigating and litigating complex white-collar crime cases. With a Master of Laws degree in Taxation and Board Certification as a Criminal Law Specialist in Arizona, lawyer Bruce Blumberg has the knowledge, skills and experience needed when it comes to complex white-collar crimes under Arizona and federal law.
WHAT IS “WHITE-COLLAR” CRIME?
Generally speaking, white-collar crime refers to criminal offenses that are carried out through deceptive means, as opposed to violent crimes or offenses using force or the threat of force to accomplish the act. All Arizona state and federal offenses are defined in statutes. In the case of white-collar crime, these statutes are often incredibly lengthy, complex and highly technical. Many of these laws are so complicated that legal experts cannot agree on whether certain actions constitute a violation of the law or not. Consider the following examples:
A stockbroker who actively trades for a client may be accused of excessive trading by the SEC, but the broker’s clients encouraged an aggressive, high-risk approach to stock dealing.
A tax accountant who uses an aggressive strategy and exploits loopholes to maximize tax avoidance for clients may be charged with tax evasion by the IRS, despite staying within the letter of the law.
When charged with a white-collar crime by a state or federal agency that regulates lengthy and complex laws, you need an attorney on your side who is skilled at understanding and interpreting the subject matter of the law and advocating strongly in your defense. In Arizona, Blumberg & Associates is prepared to handle the defense of any white-collar criminal charges, including:
CALL BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES AS SOON AS YOU LEARN OF AN INVESTIGATION
It is not uncommon for persons charged with white-collar crimes to know they are under investigation for weeks or months before charges are ever filed. The time to hire a white-collar crime attorney is the moment you know you are under investigation. Often, we can learn a great deal about the matter under investigation and communicate with law enforcement agents on your behalf as necessary. In many instances, our white-collar criminal defense attorney can head off charges before they are filed by convincing the government that you did not break any laws or that the government does not have a strong case they can prove in court. If charges are filed, we’ll be in the best position to help you and put your case in the best light.
Be wary of agreeing to speak with law enforcement officers during the investigative phase. They may try to convince you that you are not currently a suspect and can help clear yourself by cooperating. More often than not, their true aim is to elicit statements from you that help them build their case. Even innocent statements can become incriminating if they are inconsistent with prior statements, and law enforcement agents are trained experts at drawing out inconsistent statements over repeated questioning. There is even a federal law that makes it a crime to give false information on a material matter, so it is very easy to get tripped up and ensnared by federal officers. You are perfectly within your rights to decline to speak with law enforcement and instead refer them to your attorney.
CALL BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES FOR DEFENSE OF WHITE-COLLAR CHARGES IN ARIZONA
If you have been arrested for a white-collar criminal offense in Arizona, or if you have been approached for questioning or become aware you are under investigation, call Blumberg & Associates in Phoenix to discuss your options and strategy with an experienced and successful white-collar criminal law defense attorney.
