Thursday 22 August 2019

Which activities are regarded as white collar crimes in Florida?

The white collar crimes are those activities that are committed for personal financial gain. The actions include forgery, fraud, and money embezzlement. In this blog, you will find a list of activities that are regarded as white collar crimes in the state of Florida.

In recent news, a Florida woman was awarded 4 years in prison and a hefty fine for diversified white collar crime involving forgery, wire frauds, and incorrect healthcare billing. According to the Florida Annotated Statutes, a white collar crime involves forgery, fraud, embezzlement, bribery, and so on.

As per the Statutes, a convicted felon under the Florida white collar crime can be awarded a strict penalty, with or without prison time.



What are white collar crimes?

The offense can be defined as an act where a person breaks a law for profit and enrichment motives. According to an experienced lawyer, the profit motives might be dictated by:
  1. Loss of assets, especially money or property
  2. Financial advantages
  3. Misuse of funds for personal gains

Traditionally, the term has been associated with the more affluent people who abuse their power for financial and personal advantages. However, in the modern scenario, with technological advancements, the definition has been updated. Now, it includes several other activities that are regarded as white collar transgressions. Let’s look at some of them:

1. Bribery

Offering a bribe or accepting the same, is considered a serious offense. The payments for personal or professional gains can be offered in the form of cash or other incentives. These illegal payments can be made to government officials or a person of interest.

2. Money laundering

It is a process where the money, earned from illegal activities, is passed through a complex series of banking transactions. In most cases, the overall motive of the process is to return the money to the launderer without any trace. The process involves doctoring the account books, or falsification of information relating to the source of the money.

3. Fraud

It is one of the most common forms of white-collar crimes and involves distortion of facts for financial gain. These activities are conducted to dupe the officials or tax agencies so that a given person can avoid paying their dues. One can also commit fraud against depositor, investors or shareholders by a company to gain personal profits.

Conviction associated with white crime felony

In the state of Florida, the punishment for such criminal activities might include prison time, in addition to a heavy fine. The sentencing is determined by the amount of money involved in the case and the nature of the crime.

Have you been involved in a white collar crime? Then, you should contact Paul DeCailly of Bernstein, DeCailly & Marshall, PLLC for legal consultation. For more information, visit http://bdmcriminallawyers.com or call 1-833-3BDMLAW.

Tuesday 13 August 2019

What does pro hac vice mean? And, how can it help you?

Just like any profession, lawyers also need permissions or permits to work in a particular state. Ideally, with the state license, they can practice in any court inside the state. But, what if a particular attorney is required to participate in the case pending in the court of a different state? They can be allowed to participate in the case on “pro hac vice”.

According to a Florida pro hac vice, the term essentially means “for this time only”. According to this rule, the lawyer from a separate jurisdiction can practice on special permission in a given state for which they do not possess a license. As per a general course, such lawyers have to coordinate with a local attorney who possesses the permit to practice in the state where the permission is been sought.


How these lawyers can help?

In most cases, the growing need to practice between the state lines has made it necessary for the appointment of such out-of-state lawyers. These lawyers can help their local clients in out-of-state legal matters like buying or selling property in a different state.

Do you need the counsel of such lawyers? You can always contact Paul DeCailly of Bernstein, DeCailly & Marshall, PLLC. For more information, contact http://bdmcriminallawyers.com or calls 1-833-3BDMLAW.