White collar crimes are often very complex cases because of the various layers they entail. It can be difficult for people who are facing these charges to determine how they should set up their defense.
It may help defendants as they’re working on their case to know a bit about these charges.
Money laundering
Money laundering involves taking money that’s earned illegally and moving it through various steps to make it appear as though it was earned legally. For example, money earned by selling drugs might be used to fund an event at a nightclub. The money that’s made during that event is then deposited into a bank account under the guise of coming solely from that event. To the bank, it would appear that the money was made legally, but it was actually earned illegally and then laundered.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement occurs when a person who has access to a company’s money or assets uses it in an unauthorized manner for personal gain. This can include transferring money from petty cash to their own account or making it appear as though payments are being made to invoices, but those invoices are fraudulent.
One challenge of embezzlement is that it’s not usually caught quickly. Instead, it sometimes takes considerable time and many transactions before the embezzlement is caught. This leaves a lengthy paper trail that becomes part of a criminal case.
Anyone who’s facing one of these charges should ensure they understand the defense options they have for their defense. Because these charges are serious and can come with considerable penalties, the defense strategy is critical.