White Collar Crimes in Tampa, FL

Tampa Criminal Lawyer

For many years, common law did not recognize "white collar crime" as a distinct class of offense. This began to change with the emergence of computers, electronic databases, the internet, and other technical conduits which were being utilized to commit crimes with increasing frequency. White collar crime implies a level of sophistication well beyond that which is typically associated with other types of offenses, such as simple larceny, burglary, or robbery.

Types of Offenses

Those accused of committing white collar crimes may be highly educated, gainfully employed, and often possess superior technical abilities. White collar crimes, such as fraud and internet crimes, tend to be "economic" in nature and usually entail the diversion or usurping of funds from financial institutions, employers, clients, or complete strangers. While the circumstances can vary considerably, many white collar schemes involve the unauthorized access of databases to obtain personal identification information of others, including social security numbers, credit and debit card numbers, and bank account numbers. Others involve the manipulation of financial records by office staff in attempt to cover up the regular and consistent theft of company revenue.

White collar offenses are sometimes committed by groups of individuals working as part of a single criminal enterprise, and the level of ingenuity can be remarkable. Although non-violent, white collar crimes are usually prosecuted with extreme vigor due to their level of complexity and the enormous sums of monetary damages that the individual or corporate victim suffers as a result.

Defense for White Collar Offenses in Tampa

In representing clients charged with "white collar" crimes, we recognize that preserving our clients' professional reputations is an important component. Even if found not guilty, the residual effects of just having been charged can include immense financial and professional damage from tarnished reputations. As business owners, executives, or other professional employees, many of our white collar clients have very little or no experience with the criminal justice system.

As a former prosecutor and having represented clients in some very intricate white collar crimes involving millions of dollars, Tampa criminal lawyer Tim Hessinger is uniquely qualified to evaluate the merits of the State's case and develop effective defense strategies to obtain the best possible result. Contact The Law Office of Timothy Hessinger today to discuss your defense options!