By: Attorney Jason Luczak

There are different types of offenses that are considered to be white collar crimes, and these offenses usually involve illegal activity of a financial nature. Embezzlement is a common charge in white collar criminal cases, and those who have been accused of this offense will need to understand the nature of the charges and the potential consequences of a conviction. Anyone who has been accused of a crime will want to secure legal representation from a criminal defense attorney who has experience handling these types of cases and who can help build a solid, effective defense strategy. 

Understanding Embezzlement

Embezzlement is a form of theft or fraud committed by someone who was entrusted with the management or control of someone else’s money or property. Typically, embezzlement will involve an employee stealing money or otherwise misappropriating property from their employer. Multiple types of actions may fall under this category, including:

By: Attorney Nicole Masnica and Paralegal Rachel Sweet

When law enforcement officials perform investigations into criminal activity, they will often “follow the money.” If a person is found in possession of significant amounts of cash, makes large deposits into a bank account, or otherwise receives large sums of money without a good explanation, this may be seen as an indication that they have engaged in crimes such as drug trafficking. At the same time, it is illegal to take measures to conceal the source of money that was obtained illegally, and there are a variety of actions that may lead to money laundering charges. These charges may be pursued at either the state or the federal level, and those who are charged with this type of offense will need to understand the specific laws that address money laundering.

Money Laundering Offenses in Wisconsin

Wis. Stat. § 943.895 details offenses related to money laundering and the potential penalties for a conviction. These charges may apply if a person:

By Attorney Tom Brown

When a business faces accusations of healthcare fraud, this can have a massive impact on its bottom line, since in addition to facing fines and other consequences related to criminal charges, its reputation in the community is also likely to suffer. This type of fraud can affect consumers, providers, and insurers, and it can cause the costs of everyone’s healthcare benefits to rise. Because of these negative effects, these crimes are taken very seriously by law enforcement officials, and those who have been accused of healthcare fraud should be sure to understand the charges and the potential consequences. 

In March 2019, a college admissions cheating scandal made headlines nationwide. According to prosecutors, wealthy parents of children seeking admission to some of the country’s top schools used the services of a man who would either bribe college employees or would help students cheat on standardized tests.

The college admissions scam is thought to be the biggest one ever prosecuted in this country. The FBI alleges that some of the accused parents spent between $200,000 and $6.5 million to get their children into select universities. Schools such as Yale, the University of Southern California, Georgetown, and Stanford are alleged to have unknowingly accepted students as part of this illegal scheme.  

The scam’s architect, William Rick Singer, has already pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice. 

By Ray Dall’Osto

If you pay attention to the news, you will often see stories about an employee being charged with embezzlement. A common embezzlement fact pattern involves an office manager or bookkeeper who is accused of diverting their employer’s money to his personal account, often in small increments over a long period of time, or charging and purchasing personal items using the employer’s credit. Another situation involves a company officer, attorney, or trustee who diverts funds they are entrusted with for their personal use or for another, without the company’s or client’s knowledge and permission.  

By the time the employer or entity detects possible impropriety and embezzlement, thousands to millions of dollars will have gone unaccounted for. A 2017 study of embezzlement cases nationally found the median loss to be at $300,000 and the average loss over $1 million.