White Collar Crimes

White collar crimes typically carry substantial penalties, including incarceration and restitution, and many of those accused will also suffer severe damage to their reputation, career, or business. If you are under investigation or have been indicted for embezzlement, fraud, or another white collar crime, contacting an experienced attorney as soon as possible can make a huge difference. Pensacola white collar crime lawyer Ryan M. Cardoso can represent defendants in complex criminal cases. He can explain the significance of the charges and provide assistance in determining a strategic course of action to defend against the prosecution. He also represents people facing other serious criminal charges, such as those related to drug crimes or assault.

White collar crime is a broad term encompassing a range of non-violent criminal activity, most of which involves financial gain and fraud. It includes numerous federal and state misdemeanor and felony offenses that vary in complexity, from bad checks to securities fraud. Some other white collar crimes are embezzlement, money laundering, forgery, counterfeiting, credit card fraud, government benefits fraud, bribery, computer hacking, identify theft, insider trading, insurance fraud, and racketeering. Several of these activities are criminalized under Florida statutes as well as federal laws and may be prosecuted in either state or federal court. A white collar crime attorney at our Pensacola firm can help you protect your rights in both of these differing criminal justice systems.

Many white collar crimes pertain to a specific type of fraud. Simply put, fraud occurs when a person lies in order to gain an advantage, as opposed to a theft crime like burglary, which is generally more physical. Credit card fraud concerns unlawful activity related to credit and debit cards, and it may be prosecuted in Florida under the State Credit Card Crime Act. The law includes offenses for credit card theft, false statements, the use of skimming devices, the possession of credit card-making equipment, and other fraud. The fraudulent use of credit cards, for example, is committed when a person uses a credit or debit card that was unlawfully obtained, known to be forged, or presented as if the person was the holder or was authorized by the actual holder, when the person obtains anything of value with the intent to defraud the credit card company or the merchant. Depending on the facts of the case, some of these activities may also be illegal under federal law or grounds for a civil lawsuit.

Attacking the Prosecution’s Case

Defending a white collar crime case may seem difficult because these types of crimes frequently involve a variety of complex activities and multiple, sophisticated transactions. In many cases, a government agency such as the SEC will be involved in the investigation of a white collar crime. However, the prosecuting attorney also faces a substantial challenge in digging through all of the information to look for proof of each element of the offense and then convincing a jury of the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. An experienced Pensacola white collar crime attorney can untangle these complicated transactions and look for weaknesses and flaws in the prosecution’s case to assist the defense. A defense attorney may also enlist a forensic accounting expert to testify and convey the information persuasively to a jury.

The defense’s strategy in a white collar crime case will depend on the facts and the specific offense alleged. Many criminal offenses are subject to a statute of limitations, which prevents an individual from being prosecuted if charges were not filed within the statutory deadline. Double jeopardy, entrapment, lack of intent, insufficient evidence of the alleged crime, suppression motions, and negotiated plea bargains also may be part of a successful defense.

Ryan M. Cardoso has the experience and resources to assist people facing criminal charges in state or federal court. As a white collar crime lawyer based in Pensacola, he can represent people in Brent, Bellview, Cantonment, Century, Crestview, Ferry Pass, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, Navarre, Niceville, West Pensacola, and other areas of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties. Make your appointment by calling our office today at (850) 466-2073 or completing our online form. Mr. Cardoso also handles theft, drug, and DUI charges, in addition to other criminal cases.