Category Archives: White Collar Crime
What Is White Collar Crime in New Jersey?
For many people in New Jersey, the term “white collar crime” might seem somewhat vague and open-ended. What is considered white collar crime in the Garden State? What are some examples of white collar crime in New Jersey? These questions are often left unanswered. If you have been accused of white collar crime, you… Read More »
Department of Justice Updates Its Corporate Compliance Evaluation Guidance Used in White Collar Crime Investigations
In June, the US Department of Justice updated its guidelines for the evaluation of corporate compliance programs, which describes the factors that prosecutors consider in determining whether to bring charges, negotiate plea agreements, and assess criminal fines in their prosecution of white collar crimes. In general, prosecutors are interested in whether corporate compliance programs… Read More »
Understanding The Federal Crimes Brought Against Celebrity Parents Who Allegedly Offered Bribes for Children’s Educations
In late October, actress Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were indicted on a third set of federal charges, which include allegations of federal program bribery. Nine others were also charged as part of an investigation into an alleged conspiracy to obtain college placements for celebrity children via assistance from a company called… Read More »
New Jersey Couples Accused Of Welfare Fraud
On June 28th, 14 people were arrested in New Jersey and charged with public-assistance fraud in connection with federal and state raids that are allegedly linked to approximately $2 million. According to the prosecutor’s office, those accused wrongfully collected hundreds of thousands in Medicaid, nutrition assistance, Social Security, utilities assistance, federal housing funds, Sandy… Read More »
New Jersey Attorney General Announces New Initiative Targeting “Public Corruption,” But Could This Be A Witch Hunt?
New Jersey continues to make the national news headlines this week as, on May 9th, Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced that the state would be offering a $25,000 reward for any tips “to fight corruption.” Porrino referenced former Bloomfield Councilman Elias Chalet in his announcement; Chalet recently pled guilty to bribery and will now… Read More »
What Is “Racketeering”?
The term “racketeering” can be traced back to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, and includes 35 crimes related to organized crime and the act of offering a dishonest service in order to solve a problem. The RICO Act became law in 1970 in an effort to go after organized crime. However,… Read More »
Criminal Charges against Volkswagen Executives Escalate
Criminal charges against Volkswagen (VW) executives continue, as U.S. federal prosecutors have accused six of them of knowingly providing false information to American regulators after regulators initially became suspicious of emissions cheating three years ago. As these prosecutions move forward, they could, in turn, end up having a permanent effect on the prosecution of… Read More »
Determining Punishments for White-Collar Crimes
The New York Times featured an interesting article in November on “determining a punishment that fits the crime” when it comes to white-collar crime. Sentencing can actually be challenging for these crimes, as, oftentimes, those convicted of them have a relatively spotless record (and are thus not necessarily a threat to public safety), as… Read More »
Setting the Record Straight on Records: The Crime of Falsification
George Washington supposedly could not tell a lie. Pinocchio’s nose grew every time he lied so that he would learn a lesson. The little boy who cried wolf was ignored by the villagers after he lied so many times. Whether they are stories or lessons, society uses these allegories as ways to teach people… Read More »
The Gift That Keeps Taking: Bribery Charges in New York
As the musical Cabaret once put it, “Money makes the world go round.” Money is certainly a powerful force in society. Without it, we would not be able to purchase the goods or services we need. However, not all money is associated with a commendable function. This is of course true of funds used… Read More »