Some people see white-collar crimes as lesser crimes because they do not involve violence. Yet, a conviction for a white-collar crime can sometimes involve even harsher sentences than ones that do involve violence.
Understanding the options available to you if you’re facing such charges is, therefore, important. The following are three of the most commonly utilized in white collar criminal defense strategies.
A lack of intent
The prosecution must prove you intended to commit the crime. Just because someone lost money due to something you did does not mean you set out to deceive them. Maybe you made a clerical error or were just following orders and had no idea that the company you were working for was involved in illegal activity.
Coercion
Did you carry out the illegal activity of your own free will or did someone pressure or coerce you into doing so? If you wish to use the defense of coercion, you will need to show a strong reason for complying. For instance, if your employer says” Do this, or I won’t give you that promotion you want,” your claim of coercion is weak. If they said, “Do this or I am going to break your fingers with this hammer,” your claim is stronger.
An alibi
The police discover someone in your store has been stealing customer’s credit card data and using it to make withdrawals and purchases. When you run through the times the customers made card purchases you realize it all happened when you were on cigarette breaks and a colleague you smoke with can vouch for you – they can, therefore, act as your alibi to say that the offender cannot possibly have been you, as you were not there at the time of the infractions in question.
By seeking legal help to explore all possible defense options, you’ll give yourself the best chance of defeating the charges you’re facing.