El Paso White Collar Crime Attorneys
Criminal Defense Team Lead
Contact Nick directlyWhen a federal investigation is conducted into your personal life and business operations, your life can come to a screeching halt. Now you must focus on defending yourself against these charges, hoping to avoid some of the harshest penalties. These allegations can have a disastrous impact on your own personal life and business. Unfortunately, you could face astronomical fines, lengthy prison sentences, and other life-altering sanctions if you are convicted. As you may have guessed, you need to do everything possible to avoid a federal white-collar conviction.
That is where Oberheiden P.C. can help.
Our team of white-collar crime defense lawyers provides our clients with an unrivaled level of dedication and experience. We are highly experienced with handling these similar cases and reaching successful outcomes for our clients. With help from our team, we will create a comprehensive defense strategy custom-tailored to the specifics of your situation. Many of our attorneys, investigators, and trial consultants have worked in high-level positions in these federal agencies, providing insight into how the government plans to move forward with your case.
Why Choose Oberheiden, P.C. To Represent You?
Many individuals, including some defense attorneys, need to become more familiar with how the federal court system works. Federal criminal prosecutions are very different from those in state court. Once you know that the federal government is conducting an investigation, you are already far behind in terms of case preparation. These federal attorneys have been gathering evidence that they need to present to the grand jury. Once they have the evidence, the federal prosecutors will convince the grand jury that there is probable cause you have committed these acts. When you first learn about an investigation or suspect you are the subject of one, you need to contact a federal white-collar crime lawyer at Oberheiden P.C.
Our law firm is different from the rest. We believe that you need to take immediate action to secure the best outcome in your case. When you learn of an investigation, our team will immediately work to contact the federal prosecutor or agency to get more details about the case. We will never take a “wait and see” strategy. Our legal team has found that taking a proactive approach is the best strategy when it comes time to defend our clients.
When our clients bring our team into their cases before any charges have been filed, we have a 92% success rate in avoiding prosecution. With that, our team can take the possibility of charges off the table for you. We can conclude the investigation before it causes damage to your reputation and business.
What Is a White-Collar Crime?
The term white-collar crime can be used to describe a whole range of financial crimes. In many instances, these criminal acts intentionally make misleading or deliberately false statements to advance the defendant’s financial interests. The federal government will bring white-collar charges against individuals, organizations, and corporations.
Types of White-Collar Crimes
At Oberheiden P.C., our legal team has represented organizations and individuals in all federal white-collar criminal investigations and prosecutions. We have extensive experience helping healthcare providers, business owners, executives, and professionals in all these types of cases. Some of the most common white-collar cases include the following:
Bank Fraud
When someone makes false statements with the intention of defrauding a bank or other financial institution, that is known as bank fraud. Forging a signature on a financial statement, providing misleading information on an application, or signing a check for non-existent funds are all forms of bank fraud. A conviction for these white-collar crimes can lead to up to $1 million in fines and 30 years in federal prison.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of misappropriating property that a person or organization entrusted to an individual. Unlike theft, embezzlement is a crime where someone has been given access to the property and fraudulently taken possession of it. For example, a cashier has access to the funds of their employer. That cashier cannot take money for an item and then fail to report the purchase to the company. When that happens, the cashier has more than likely embezzled those funds.
Forgery
In many cases, forgery involves falsifying a document that the person will use to defraud another individual or business entity. Usually, the forgery involves forged checks, but falsifying legal documents can lead to forgery charges.
Healthcare Fraud
Any actions intended to improperly obtain funds from a federal healthcare benefit program or private insurance company fall into the category of healthcare fraud. The federal government has many laws prohibiting this practice, including the False Claims Act, the Stark Law, and the Anti-Kickback Statute. These violations often lead to civil penalties, but federal prosecutors can file criminal charges for the individual’s actions.
Mortgage Fraud
Mortgage fraud is a crime when a person makes a misleading or false statement on a mortgage for a property. These types of mortgage fraud crimes include misstating debt, appraisal fraud, and inflating income. Mortgage fraud requires intent, which is more complex than making a mistake on an application.
Securities Fraud
Securities fraud is another common criminal charge levied by the federal government. The broad term is used to describe fraudulent actions by financial firms, brokers, and advisors. In many cases, the victims of these crimes are investors. Often, an investor will contact the Security and Exchange Commission to complain about the conduct of a financial organization or individual. In turn, that will trigger an invasive investigation of their practices. Securities fraud examples include inadequate risk disclosure, inappropriate investment opportunities, pyramid schemes, and offshore investments.
Wire and Mail Fraud
Federal prosecutors often add mail and wire fraud to other white-collar criminal charges, especially if those crimes were carried out on the internet, through the mail, or over the phone. These federal charges are very common and carry higher penalties than other crimes. Prosecutors hope that by adding these charges, the individual will be more likely to take a plea deal in the case. However, when your federal defense attorney successfully defends against the other allegations, there is no basis for these additional charges.
No matter what white-collar criminal charges you face, our federal criminal defense attorneys at Oberheiden P.C. are ready to help with your case. We have assisted many clients facing similar charges and investigations. Contact us today for a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I Serve Jail Time With a Conviction?
Unfortunately, there is always the possibility of jail time for these federal crimes. While there is a belief that these prison sentences are not as harsh as other crimes, that is not the case. White-collar crimes need to be taken seriously. You should never assume that the possibility of prison time is off the table for your case. When the federal government has spent the time and resources to build a case against you, they will look for the maximum sentence possible. With help from your federal defense attorney, you can have the charges dismissed or seek a lighter sentence. However, all that will depend on the circumstances surrounding your case. Federal white-collar offenses may not be violent, but a conviction can lead to decades behind bars.
Do I Need To Work With Prosecutors for a Lesser Sentence?
Many white-collar prosecutions will end with a plea deal. In those cases, the defendant acknowledges responsibility for their actions, and they will receive a sentence for a lesser offense. Keep in mind that not all of these defendants are guilty. Those facing the possibility of a federal white-collar crime conviction will often take a plea deal to avoid a harsher sentence. You should make these deals after you have consulted with a defense attorney. Unfortunately, some lawyers are unprepared or not confident in handling a federal defense case. They will pressure their clients to accept a plea agreement.
At Oberheiden P.C., we are different from other law firms. We believe that prosecutors will try to use a plea deal as a bargaining piece. Our attorneys will take an in-depth look at your situation and try to find the holes in the prosecution’s case.
Am I Required To Talk To Federal Agents?
No. We never recommend talking to any federal agent or prosecutor without first consulting with us. When you speak to these individuals, you can provide them with the information to complete their investigation so that they can file charges against you. Usually, federal agents will avoid talking to the subject of the investigation to prevent them from destroying evidence or reaching out to potential witnesses. If they are contacting you, they need additional information for the case. All you have to do is politely decline to speak to them and give us a call. Our federal defense legal team can provide you with a free consultation.
How Are You Different from Other Law Firms?
Take a look at our track record of successes. All our legal team members are highly experienced with working on these types of cases. We only handle federal white-collar crimes. Also, our senior lawyers are the only ones who will handle your case. We have helped numerous clients defend themselves against these allegations in the federal court system.
Put our highly experienced team on your side
Dr. Nick Oberheiden
Founder
Attorney-at-Law
Lynette S. Byrd
Former Department of Justice
Brian J. Kuester
Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA
John W. Sellers
Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
Local Counsel
Joanne Fine DeLena
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Joe Brown
Former U.S. Attorney & Former District Attorney
Local Trial & Defense Counsel
Amanda Marshall
Former U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Aaron L. Wiley
Former Federal Prosecutor
Local Counsel
Roger Bach
Former Special Agent (OIG)
Michael Koslow
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Chris Quick
Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)
Ray Yuen
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Contact Oberheiden. P.C. for a Free Consultation
If you have been charged or face a federal white-collar crime investigation in El Paso, Texas, contact Oberheiden P.C. Our skilled team of attorneys and investigators can help you seek a favorable outcome in your case. You can schedule a free consultation by calling 888-680-1745 or filling out our online contact form.