When many people think of criminal activity, they imagine violent offenses that result in physical injuries. While these kinds of crimes do occur, they are by no means the only type of criminal offense with which a person can be charged. Fraud-based financial offenses, for instance, such as white collar crimes, are non-violent in nature. […]
Defending Yourself from Embezzlement Charges
December 1st, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar Crime
Embezzlement is a term used to describe the act of stealing money that someone else has entrusted you to manage or hold on his or her behalf. While cases involving embezzlement often arise in the employment context, such as when an employee uses company funds for his or her own use, this is not the […]
Does a Jury Have to Unanimously Agree on How a Defendant Committed the Crime?
October 29th, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar Crime
When you are tried for any federal or state crime in Texas, the jury must unanimously agree that you are guilty. This means the jurors must be unanimous with respect to each element of the alleged offense. However, that does not necessarily mean the jurors all have to agree as to the underlying facts. In […]
Impersonating a Peace Officer Lands Fort Bend County Man in Jail for 6 Months
October 1st, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar Crime
Many white collar crimes involve some form of identity theft or fraud. For example, in Texas it is a Class B misdemeanor to falsely identify oneself as a police officer. Basically, this covers someone possessing or displaying a law enforcement badge even though they are not actually a “peace officer” or reserve police officer. Court: […]
Appeals Court Upholds Former Texas City Manager’s 35-Year Prison Sentence for Wire Fraud
August 28th, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar Crime
White collar crimes are no laughing matter, especially when the defendant is a public official. The misuse of government funds can lead to serious felony charges such as wire fraud. And even a single conviction on wire fraud charges may carry a prison term of up to 20 years. Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals […]
Houston U.S. Attorney Charges DHS Employee with Wire Fraud, Identity Theft
July 31st, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar Crime
Identity theft is one of the most commonly prosecuted white collar crimes in Texas. If you intentionally use someone else’s name, Social Security number, or other personal identifying information (PII) to obtain money, credit, or anything else of value, you can face serious federal criminal charges. And prosecutors will not hesitate to charge a potential […]
Houston Judge Reverses Jury, Orders Acquittal in Adoption Mail-Fraud Case
June 29th, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar
White collar crimes such as fraud often involve alleged conduct that takes place over an extended period of time. In attempting to prove a criminal charge, however, prosecutors need to show the defendant not only devised the scheme to defraud but also acted with specific intent to defraud. And as with any criminal case, the […]
Former Texas Mayor, Spouse Receive New Trial on Federal Fraud and Bribery Charges
May 29th, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar Crime
When charged with a white collar crime, whether at the federal or state level, you have a constitutional right to a jury trial. The jury itself must be impartial and only consider the evidence lawfully introduced at trial. If there is any improper outside influence on the jury, that may be grounds for a mistrial […]
Fifth Circuit: BP Not Entitled to “Restitution” for Its Costs in Helping FBI Catch Rogue Employee
April 29th, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar, White Collar Crime
When a person is convicted of certain federal crimes, they can be ordered to pay restitution–i.e., compensation–to their victims. This goes for white-collar crimes as well as violent offenses. That said, the law does restrict the types of restitution that the government may seek to recoup on behalf of a victim. Restitution Law Meant to […]
How Long Could I Go to Jail for Misdemeanor Check Forgery?
April 1st, 2020 by Tad Nelson in White Collar Crime
White collar crimes like forgery are often prosecuted as misdemeanor offenses, which carry one year or less of jail time. But if a defendant has a prior criminal record, the prosecution may seek to “enhance” the misdemeanor charge into a felony. This means that even a fairly simple crime like check forging may land a […]