Experienced Colorado Fraud and Embezzlement Defense Attorney Serving All of Western Colorado
Including the areas of Aspen, Avon, The Vail Valley, Montrose, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Brekenridge and Carbondale
Organizational financial responsibility is a high-pressure business. “Detail-oriented” barely begins to describe the skill it takes to manage and document every last penny that comes through the door. People rely on that documentation for financial and regulatory reasons, and any missteps can lead to disaster.
White Collar Crime
White collar crime is a term people use to describe crimes committed while a person is performing their job. This usually refers to jobs that are professional in nature, hence the term “white collar.” These crimes usually involve a person in a position of trust within a corporation or other business entity. Whenever someone in a position of trust or power within a corporation abuses that trust for their own benefit—as opposed to the company’s benefit—this abuse can result in white collar criminal charges. There are a variety of crimes that fall under this category.
Types of White Collar Crime
White collar crime can take many forms, including but not limited to those listed below.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is a serious crime with potentially severe consequences. This crime involves a person who, because of their position within a company, is entrusted with client funds. This person must have no legal claim to ownership of the money, and they must take and intend to keep the money for themselves. A stockbroker who siphons money from client accounts and a cashier at a supermarket who takes money out of the register are both guilty of embezzlement. The penalties usually are commensurate with the amount of money taken and can vary widely. You could potentially spend decades in prison. So if you find yourself under investigation, contact a Colorado embezzlement attorney right away to make sure your rights are fully protected.
Fraud
There are many types of fraud. But each consists of the perpetrator giving out false information, distorting information, or leaving out key pieces of information with the intent of cheating people out of money. The perpetrator could attempt to defraud a company, investors, or individual people.
Other Types
In addition to the most common crimes of embezzlement and fraud, white collar crimes include the following:
- Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, and other scams that purport to help you “get rich quick”;
- Blackmail;
- Bribery;
- Extortion;
- Habitually over-billing one or more customers;
- Counterfeiting;
- Money laundering;
- Impersonating a police officer;
- Income tax evasion;
- Racketeering; and
- Real estate schemes.
Accusations of fraud, embezzlement, or any crime listed above can cause irreparable harm to your reputation. You may not only face jail time and restitution, but your professional credentials have been irreversibly stained, and it may be nearly impossible to find a job. I am an experienced Colorado fraud defense lawyer and my practice is built around providing honest, professional, aggressive fraud defense with a commitment to customer service.
If you face criminal charges for fraud, embezzlement, or another “white collar” crime, you need an experienced Colorado white collar crime attorney to defend you. Contact me online or at 970-704-0888 (1-855-704-0888 toll free) to schedule a free consultation.
Colorado White Collar Crime Defense Attorney
When someone learns they are being investigated for fraud, embezzlement, or any other white collar crime, they sometimes fail to grasp the seriousness of the inquiry. This is because white collar criminal charges often do not come down until there have been months or even years of investigation. During this extended period, people can be lulled into a false sense of security. After a bit of time passes, people can come to believe that if the police had any substantial evidence they would have already filed charges. But don’t kid yourself into thinking that an extended inquiry means you are in the clear. These cases often involve an extraordinary amount of documentation and records that authorities must go through meticulously—and that takes time. The process can come in waves where law enforcement:
- Serves subpoenas for records;
- Painstakingly analyzes the records;
- Discovers and interviews additional witnesses; and
- Starts the whole process over by issuing subpoenas for a new set of documents.
This process does not end until law enforcement believes that it has seen and analyzed every document that might shed light on the case.
Those who are involved in any investigation of this kind may be living with the specter of indictment over them for a long time. But it is critical that you contact a lawyer as soon as you know the State is investigating you. Do not wait for the prosecutor to file charges to consult with an experienced Colorado white collar crimes lawyer. If you wait, you essentially give the prosecution a huge head start. Law enforcement takes months or even years to carefully examine every bit of evidence they can find. During this time, your lawyer should also examine the evidence as it unfolds. This helps them address evidentiary issues as they come up and gives them time to thoroughly mount your defense. If you wait until the State files charges to contact a Colorado white collar crimes attorney, you put your lawyer at a distinct disadvantage that could irreparably damage your defense.
To effectively defend my clients, I will review the evidence, analyze appropriate financial records, and thoroughly interview any party that may have information about the case. No detail is too small or insignificant. I have more than 20 years of criminal defense experience that I will bring to bear on the prosecution in order to get you, my client, the best possible outcome in your case.
Additional Practice Areas We Represent
In addition to white-collar crimes, we also offer criminal defense representation for the following areas:
- DUI / DWI / DWAI (i.e. driving under the influence of alcohol / drunk driving)
- DUID (i.e. driving under the influence of drugs)
- Traffic offenses
- Theft, larceny, grand theft, and burglary
- Domestic violence
- Assault, battery, and other violent crime charges
- Drug possession, distribution, selling, dealing, or drug trafficking
- Internet crimes
- Expungement and sealing of criminal records
Contact a Colorado Fraud & Embezzlement Lawyer Today
I serve clients all across Western Colorado. If you or a loved one has been charged with a white collar crime, do not hesitate to contact Mark S. Rubinstein, P.C., online or by telephone at 970-704-0888 (1-855-704-0888 toll-free). I am dedicated to providing my clients with the best customer service experience available. That means prompt responses to e-mail and voice messages as well as experienced, effective representation.