Federal White Collar Crimes Lawyer. Federal white collar investigations often start quietly. By the time the FBI, IRS, SEC, HHS-OIG, or another federal agency contacts you, prosecutors may already have financial records, emails, subpoenas, witness statements, and a theory of the case.
Hiring an experienced federal crimes defense lawyer now can be the difference between keeping your freedom or spending years in federal prison.
Combs Waterkotte’s federal white collar crimes lawyers defend individuals, professionals, executives, business owners, contractors, health care providers, and organizations facing federal white collar crime investigations and charges. If you have received a subpoena, target letter, search warrant, or request to speak with federal agents, contact a federal white collar crimes lawyer before answering questions or producing records.
Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation.
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Facing Federal Criminal Charges? Why They’re Different and How to Win
Combs Waterkotte, a leading federal criminal defense law firm, has handled over 10,000 cases successfully. This ebook guides you through the federal criminal defense process, how federal charges are different, and how to win.
This page covers:
- What federal white collar crimes are
- Common federal financial crime charges and statutes
- What to do if you may be under federal investigation
- How federal white collar cases are defended
- Potential penalties and long-term consequences
- When to contact a federal defense attorney
Legal Videos
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Do Federal Sex Crimes Require Sex Offender Registration?
Do Federal Sex Crimes Require Sex Offender Registration? Andrew Russek, a lawyer with leading federal criminal defense firm Combs Waterkotte, discusses the sex offender registry and federal sex …
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What Makes A Sex Crime Federal Rather Than State? Andrew Russek and Chris Combs of Combs Waterkotte discuss factors that play into a sex crime being classified as federal, rather than …
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What Is a Federal White Collar Crime?
A federal white collar crime is usually a nonviolent financial offense prosecuted by the U.S. government. These cases often involve allegations that someone used a business, financial system, public program, or position of trust to obtain money or another benefit unlawfully.
What makes a white collar case federal is usually the connection to federal law, federal money, interstate activity, or a federal agency. A case may become federal when it involves:
- A federal criminal statute, such as wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, tax fraud, or conspiracy
- Interstate activity, including emails, phone calls, wire transfers, electronic payments, or online transactions that crossed state lines
- A bank, lender, or federally insured financial institution
- Federal money, including government contracts, grants, benefits, disaster relief funds, or federally backed loans
- Federal tax issues investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation
- Securities, investments, or market activity reviewed by the SEC Division of Enforcement
- Medicare, Medicaid, or other federal health care programs involving the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General
- A broader federal investigation led by the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, or another federal agency
Federal white collar cases are built differently than many other criminal cases. Instead of one witness or one arrest, the government may rely on months of financial records, emails, contracts, billing data, internal policies, audit trails, and interviews. A strong defense has to organize that material, challenge the government’s assumptions, and throw doubt on the prosecution’s case.
Federal White Collar Crime Cases We Defend
Combs Waterkotte defends clients against a wide range of federal white collar allegations, including:
- Wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343: Wire fraud charges often involve emails, phone calls, electronic payments, texts, online forms, or other interstate communications allegedly used to carry out a scheme to defraud.
- Mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1341: Mail fraud charges are based on allegations that the mail or a private carrier was used to advance a fraudulent transaction, application, invoice, contract, or scheme.
- Bank fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344: Bank fraud cases usually involve allegations that someone defrauded, or attempted to obtain money or property from, a federally insured financial institution.
- Health care fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1347: Health care fraud cases may involve Medicare, Medicaid, private insurers, billing records, medical necessity disputes, coding issues, kickback allegations, or claims for services the government says were improper.
- Securities and commodities fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1348: These cases often involve allegations of misleading investors, hiding material information, manipulating transactions, or using false statements in connection with securities or commodities.
- Tax evasion and false tax filings, 26 U.S.C. §§ 7201 and 7206: Federal tax cases focus on whether a person willfully tried to evade taxes or knowingly submitted false returns, statements, records, or other tax documents.
- Money laundering, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957: Money laundering charges usually claim that financial transactions involved criminal proceeds, concealed the source of funds, promoted unlawful activity, or exceeded statutory transaction thresholds.
- Embezzlement and theft from federal programs or institutions: Depending on the facts, federal embezzlement cases may involve public money, federally connected banks, employee benefit plans, government contracts, or funds tied to federal programs.
- Identity theft and aggravated identity theft, 18 U.S.C. § 1028A: These charges may be added when prosecutors claim someone used another person’s identifying information during a felony fraud, immigration, banking, or benefits-related offense.
- Computer fraud and unauthorized access, 18 U.S.C. § 1030: These cases may involve allegations of unauthorized access to computers, protected systems, financial records, consumer data, business networks, or government information.
- False statements, 18 U.S.C. § 1001: False statement charges can arise from interviews, forms, audits, certifications, or communications with federal agents or agencies, even when no separate fraud charge is filed.
- Federal conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 371 or § 1349: RICO charges allow prosecutors to allege that two or more people agreed to commit a federal offense, even if the underlying crime was not completed.
Many federal white collar cases include more than one charge. A fraud allegation may be paired with conspiracy, money laundering, false statements, obstruction, forfeiture, or restitution demands.
Why Federal White Collar Charges Are Different
Federal white collar cases are often built long before an arrest. Investigators may use subpoenas, search warrants, forensic accountants, cooperating witnesses, grand jury proceedings, and agency audits before charges are filed.
The stakes are different, too. Federal charges often come after a long investigation, which means the government may already have months or years of records organized around its theory before the case reaches court.
Federal sentencing can also turn on details that are not obvious at the beginning of a case, including alleged loss amount, number of victims, role in the offense, use of sophisticated means, obstruction allegations, and acceptance of responsibility.
Signs You May Be Under Federal Investigation for a White-Collar Crime
You do not need to be indicted to need a lawyer. Contact Combs Waterkotte’s federal white collar crimes lawyers immediately if:
- Federal agents contacted you at home, work, or by phone
- You received a subpoena for documents, emails, phone records, or financial data
- Your business, bank, employer, client, or vendor received a subpoena
- Agents executed a search warrant
- Coworkers, employees, clients, or associates were questioned
- You received a target letter or grand jury notice
- An audit has become broader, more aggressive, or more criminal in tone
- Investigators asked you to “just explain” a transaction, return, payment, invoice, or application
Do not assume a casual conversation with agents is harmless. Even if they seem friendly, they are trying to build a case against you. Truthful answers can create problems if they are incomplete, misinterpreted, or inconsistent with records the government already has.
How Our Federal White Collar Crimes Lawyers Build a Defense
A strong federal white collar defense starts with the documents, but it does not end there. The key question is often intent: Was this fraud, or was it a mistake, misunderstanding, business dispute, compliance issue, accounting problem, or good-faith decision?
Combs Waterkotte can help by:
- Communicating with agents and prosecutors on your behalf
- Reviewing subpoenas, warrants, target letters, and investigative demands
- Analyzing financial records, emails, contracts, returns, and transaction histories
- Challenging intent, knowledge, materiality, causation, and loss calculations
- Identifying constitutional issues, unreliable witnesses, and gaps in the government’s timeline
- Working with forensic accountants, investigators, and other experts when needed
- Negotiating before indictment when possible
- Preparing motions, trial strategy, and sentencing arguments
Combs Waterkotte’s federal white collar defense lawyers treat every case as if its going to trial, from the very beginning of the case. We are not afraid to stand up to the federal government and protect your freedoms in court.
Potential Penalties of a Federal White Collar Crimes Conviction
A federal white collar conviction can affect nearly every part of your life. Depending on the charge and facts, penalties may include:
- Years or decades in prison
- Restitution
- Criminal fines
- Asset forfeiture
- Supervised release
- Professional license consequences
- Exclusion from government programs
- Immigration consequences
- Damage to your business, career, and reputation
Contact a Federal White Collar Crimes Lawyer Today
If you are facing federal white collar charges or believe you may be under investigation, do not wait for the government’s next move.
Combs Waterkotte’s federal white collar crimes lawyers represent clients in serious federal financial crime cases involving fraud, tax allegations, health care billing, money laundering, conspiracy, and complex document-heavy investigations.
Call (314) 900-HELP or contact us online today for a free, confidential consultation with a federal white collar crimes lawyer.
