Wilmington, NC White Collar Crime Lawyer

Types of White Collar Crimes We Handle

At Goolsby Law Firm, we offer experienced and skilled white collar defense related to:

Fraud

Fraud involves using deceptive behavior to obtain an unfair and illegal benefit. There are various fraud crimes under North Carolina and Federal law. Such crimes can be misdemeanors or felonies.

Common fraud crimes include:

• Obtaining property by false pretenses (NCGS §14‑100): Class H or Class C felony
• Possession or manufacture of fraudulent forms of ID (NCGS §14-100.1): Class 1 misdemeanor
• Obtaining signatures by false pretense (NCGS §14-101): Class H felony
• Obtaining property in return for worthless check, draft, or order (NCGS §14-106): Class 3 misdemeanor
• Worthless checks (NCGS §14-107): Class 3 or Class 1 misdemeanor, or Class I felony
• Defrauding an innkeeper or campground owner (NCGS §14-110): Class 2 misdemeanor
• Obtaining merchandise on approval (NCGS §14-112): Class 2 misdemeanor
• Forgery (NCGS §14-119 &120): Class I or Class G felony

If you are charged with any misdemeanor or felony fraud crime, contact a white collar criminal defense lawyer immediately.

Embezzlement

Embezzlement is a type of felony fraud. It involves using a position of trust that gives you access to money and property to unlawfully appropriate that money or property with the intent to deprive the true owner of it.

Embezzlement of property received by virtue of office or employment (NCGS §14-90) is a Class H, Class F, or Class C felony, depending on the value and connection to the victim. For example, if you were a corporate employee, public employee or officer, or treasurer for a charity you could be charged with such a crime.

Money Laundering

Money laundering describes false transactions that hide the origins of illegally obtained funds and illegal transactions, such as embezzlement, fraud, or the sale of controlled substances. North Carolina does not have a specific money laundering statute. However, these actions can be charged as various fraud crimes.

You can also face Federal criminal charges for money laundering. If you are accused of trying to clean illegally obtained money, call a money laundering defense lawyer right away. You may be forced to defend against several state or federal charges.

Bribery

In North Carolina, bribery offenses can mean several things. If you offer a bribe, then under NCGS §14-218, it is a Class F felony, whether or not the bribe was accepted. If you hold public office or have filed your notice of candidacy and you accept a bribe, it is a Class F felony.

Tax Evasion

If you intentionally try to avoid tax liability, such as providing state or federal authorities with false income information, you can be charged with a crime and assessed a penalty. Depending on the circumstances, you can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor or Class H felony, under NCGS §105-236(a).

When you are in trouble for your taxes and the authorities believe you were intentionally trying to defraud the government, the smart thing to do is call a tax evasion defense lawyer.

Punishments for White Collar Crime

If you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony white collar crime, you need to speak with a veteran attorney about the potential penalties. You face incarceration, probation, fines, restitution to the victims, and more.

If convicted, your sentence will depend on the class of the crime and your criminal record.

For misdemeanors, you will be placed into a prior conviction level (I, II, or III). The higher the level or the more previous convictions you have, the greater the potential penalty. For felonies, you will be classified with a prior record level I through VI. The higher the level, the greater the penalty. The felony punishment chart also provides judges with a presumptive, minimum and maximum range of incarceration, as well as mitigated and aggravated ranges that can influence sentencing.