January 16, 2014
by David Nachtigall
Many believe that white collar crime is primarily a federal criminal offense. In reality, there are several state statutes under which people are commonly prosecuted for white collar crime in Houston. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has an entire division devoted to the prosecution of state white collar crimes. As a former member of that division, I have firsthand experience with the way the District Attorney’s Office builds and prosecute white collar criminal cases.
The more commonly prosecuted Houston white collar crimes are:
- theft and aggregate theft (embezzlement)
- misapplication of fiduciary property
- mortgage fraud; and
- insurance fraud.
While the evidence in most criminal cases consists of witness testimony and/or forensic evidence, white collar criminal prosecutions are often based on financial records and other documentary evidence. Effective white collar criminal defense requires knowledge of the types of documents that the government uses to build its case and how to analyze and dissect those documents.
If you find yourself charged with a white collar crime in Houston, it is important to contact a criminal defense attorney who has experience dealing with the evidence and methods used to prosecute those crimes.
