Crimes involving theft of money or fraud often lead to severe legal penalties. Someone convicted of these kinds of offenses can face years in federal prison and fines costing in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
When you have been accused of monetary or fraud crimes, you have the right to defend yourself, however. You can start by hiring an experienced white-collar crime attorney to represent you.
Proving Your Innocence
When you work for a financial institution like a bank or mortgage company, you are expected to be honest and have integrity when handling customers' accounts. If someone suspects that you have been dishonest or mishandled information to which you had access, they can accuse you of misconduct like fraud, theft, or embezzlement.
You, then, are left to defend yourself against these accusations and prove that you did not commit a crime. When you have a white-collar crime attorney on retainer, you can build a defense to show your innocence. Your attorney can use evidence in your favor to show that you did nothing wrong and do not deserve to be convicted of the crimes of which you have been accused.
Your white-collar crime attorney can use financial records, surveillance video, and other proof to build your case. You may avoid being convicted and sentenced to jail or given steep fines and penalties.
Naming the Guilty Party
Your white-collar crime attorney can also divert attention from you and on to the person or people who really committed the offenses. Using the same evidence to exonerate you, your lawyer can show that someone else carried out the crimes and tried to frame you for them. They can show the court that the prosecution is going after the wrong person.
After your white-collar crime attorney shows who committed the offenses, they may be able to convince the judge or jury to dismiss the case against you. Your lawyer can help clear your name and get the charges off your permanent record. They can also make sure you keep your professional credentials needed to work in the financial sector once your name is cleared.
A white-collar criminal attorney can offer important legal services after you have been accused of one of these offenses. They can defend you in court, show your innocence and name the true offender. For more information about how a white-collar crime attorney can help you, contact a local law firm, like Cohen Law Offices, LLC.