18 Mar White-collar crime rates increasing
According to the New York City Police Commissioner, white-collar crime seems to be increasing in the city as more street gangs are finding this type of crime lucrative. The crimes that are committed across the nation appear to be fraud and identity theft, among other similar offenses.
Within the state, it appears that gang members carry credit cards that have been re-encoded with data that was stolen. Some alleged gang members have been taken into custody after attempting to deposit fake checks and make withdrawals before the banks discover the check fraud. In other parts of the nation, alleged gang members were taken into custody for stealing identity information in order to file fake tax returns.
There are some reasons why the rate of white-collar crimes may be increasing. These type of offenses often have bigger payoffs, making the risk worth it to many street gangs. They may also be more difficult to detect, allowing members to potentially get away with the crime. Finally, prison sentences for these crimes are also lower than many other gang crimes
A person who has been accused of committing a white-collar crime such as identity theft or check fraud may find it advisable to obtain the assistance of a criminal defense attorney who has experience with these types of matters as soon as possible. The defense strategy that is used will in some cases depend upon the nature of the offense that is described in the charge. As an example, certain white-collar crimes require the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant had the specific intent to commit the offense, which is often difficult to establish.