Federal Financial Crimes
Financially-motivated nonviolent offenses (commonly referred to as “white-collar crimes”) frequently become the targets of federal investigations because most violations involve some illegal action “affecting interstate or foreign commerce.” Such offenses typically involve more than one alleged offender, and prosecutors will often begin negotiating plea agreements for certain suspects in exchange for their testimony against other people who were allegedly involved in a financial crime.
Nobody should attempt to enter any plea negotiations without legal counsel. While prosecutors may file motions for reduced sentences when alleged offenders provide substantial assistance in the investigation or prosecution of another person who has committed an offense, some prosecutors may choose not to file the motions promised to people who cooperated if the information gleaned is deemed not substantial enough.
Lawyer for Federal Financial Crimes in Houston, TX
Do you think that you might be under investigation or were you already arrested for any kind of alleged federal white-collar crime? You should not say anything to any investigators or other authorities until you have first contacted Horak Law.
Matt Horak is an experienced criminal defense attorney in Houston who is admitted to United States District Courts in the Southern District of Texas and represents clients facing federal charges throughout Harris County, Fort Bend County, Galveston County, Liberty County, Waller County, Brazoria County, and Montgomery County. He can provide an honest and thorough evaluation of your case and answer all of your legal questions when you call our firm locally at (713) 225-8000 or toll-free at [phone-tollfree] to take advantage of a confidential consultation.
Harris County Federal Financial Crimes Information Center
- What are some of the financial offenses under federal law?
- When might people face federal conspiracy charges related to financial crimes?
- Where can I learn more about federal financial crimes in the Houston area?
Types of Federal Financial Crimes in Texas
Numerous federal statutes establish financial crimes and their respective penalties. Federal charges typically carry much stiffer sentences than state offenses, and the prosecutors handling the cases have far greater resources to work with when conducting investigations.
A few of the most commonly prosecuted financial crimes in federal courts include, but are not limited to:
- Bank Fraud, Title 18 U.S. Code § 1344 — Offenses are punishable by up to 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1 million.
- Bankruptcy Fraud, Title 18 U.S. Code § 157 — Offenses are punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
- Embezzlement, Title 18 U.S. Code §§ 641-670 — Maximum punishments vary depending on the specific type of embezzlement, but many offenses are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. Theft, embezzlement, or misapplication by bank officer or employee (Title 18 U.S. Code § 656) is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1 million.
- Insurance Fraud, 18 U.S. Code § 1033 — Offenses are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000.
- Mail Fraud , Title 18 U.S. Code § 63 — Offenses are punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000, although offenses involving financial institutions are punishable by up to 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1 million.
- Money Laundering, Title 18 U.S. Code § 1956 — Offenses are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act), Title 18 U.S. Code §§ 1961-1968 — Offenses are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to twice the gross profits or other proceeds derived from criminal activities.
- Securities Fraud, 18 U.S. Code § 3301 — Maximum punishments vary depending on the specific federal law violated, but violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5 million.
- Telemarketing Fraud, Title 18 U.S. Code §§ 2325-2327 — Offenses are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000.
Conspiracy Charges Relating to Federal Financial Crimes in Houston
Title 18 U.S. Code § 371 makes it a criminal offense for two or more persons to conspire to commit any federal offense and one or more of those persons does anything act to further that conspiracy. Federal prosecutors frequently file conspiracy charges in financial offense cases because the conspiracy statute can be broadly applied to people with even trivial roles in alleged crimes.
Some conspiracy charges—such as those based on RICO Act violations—carry the same penalties as the underlying offenses. Other conspiracy charges may be punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000 for individuals or $500,000 for organizations.
When a person is facing conspiracy charges, claims such as a failure to act on the conspiracy or no additional contact with a co-conspirator will not be enough to overcome the criminal charges. An alleged offender needs to prove that he or she either completely withdrew from the conspiracy or that the prosecutor lacks sufficient evidence to prove that he or she was actually involved in a conspiracy.
Harris County Federal Financial Crime Resources
Houston | Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — The FBI investigates matters relating to fraud, theft, and embezzlement occurring within or against the national and international financial community. It has field offices throughout the United States, and you can find local news on this website for the Houston FBI office. You can also learn about the FBI’s history in Houston, a list of people wanted by the FBI, and the agency’s community outreach program.
FBI Houston Field Office
1 Justice Park Drive
Houston, TX 77292
(713) 693-5000
Criminal Division | United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas (USAO-SDTX) | Department of Justice — United States Attorneys are the federal prosecutors who represent the federal government in United States District Courts. Texas has four districts, and Houston is located in the state’s Southern District. On this section of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District’s website, you can learn more about the agency’s many criminal divisions, including asset forfeiture/financial litigation, major fraud, and program fraud.
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of Texas
1000 Louisiana, Ste. 2300
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 567-9000
Horak Law | Houston Federal Financial Crimes Lawyer
If you were arrested or believe that you could be currently under investigation in Texas for an alleged federal financial offense, it will be in your best interest to seek legal representation before you say anything to authorities. Horak Law aggressively defends clients in United States District Courts in the Southern District of Texas, including the Houston Division and the Galveston Division.
Houston criminal defense attorney Matt Horak represents people facing federal charges in such communities as Galveston, Missouri City, Pasadena, Sugar Land, Conroe, League City, Pearland, Richmond-Rosenberg, Spring, The Woodlands, and several other nearby areas. Call us locally at (713) 225-8000 or toll-free at [phone-tollfree] or submit an online contact form to schedule a consultation that will let our lawyer review your case and discuss all of your legal options.
