Certain non-violent criminal offenses related to financial issues are termed "white collar crimes", because they have historically been most committed by persons wearing suits. These crimes range from embezzlement through credit card fraud and insurance fraud as well as accounting and tax fraud, among others. Many of these offenses are filed in federal court, which can prove to be an extremely dangerous situation. The conviction rate in federal court is even higher than at the state level, currently standing at about 85%.

If you have been indicted for a financial crime of any type, the most critical issue to resolve is who to choose for your defense counsel. This is the time to ensure that you have a highly qualified and experienced criminal attorney representing you. At my firm, the Law Office of Steve Cedillos, I take on the defense of white collar crimes with a high level of commitment, professionalism and knowledge. Whatever type of white collar charges you are facing, I can help. Contact my firm immediately. I also serve as defense counsel in appeals when there has been a miscarriage of justice in state or federal court.

There are many different types of violations that fall under white-collar crime. These include any of the following:

Bribery: giving money, gifts, or services to a public official in order to alter that official's behavior may be considered bribery. Both the person who gives the money and the recipient can be charged with bribery.

Embezzlement: a person that misappropriates or takes money that was entrusted to them may be charged with embezzlement. To convict a person of this crime, the prosecutor must show that the money was legally owned by another person and that the transfer was fraudulent.

Fraud: may involve a number of different areas including securities fraud, healthcare fraud, credit card fraud, and insurance fraud. Fraud is defined as knowingly using deception for personal gain or to damage another.

Insider Trading: if a company is on the public market, then anybody who trades its stock or securities with non-public information may be accused of insider trading. Because the information that they used was secret, then the government considers it to be a violation of public trust.

Money Laundering:persons that are engaging in illegal activity may try to cover their tracks by trying to show that the money that they received came from a legitimate source. The act of trying to conceal "dirty" money is called money laundering.

The issues related to white collar crimes are generally far more complex than other types of criminal offenses. Charges are filed based upon financial information, forms, computer-based data and other similar data. There is a great number of ways that this information can be altered, either by an outside source or through gaining access to a computer terminal, passwords or falsifying signatures. The first issue at hand is to address is a detailed review of the evidence and a discussion with you about what occurred.

There is no question that the quality and experience of your Honolulu criminal lawyer can be the most significant factor in the final outcome of your case. As a legal professional, I have seen all types of cases play out in various ways in both state and federal court. I have seen individuals convicted that may have been able to be fully exonerated had the defense lawyer taken certain actions. In a white collar crime, you need defense counsel that is detail-oriented, well-versed in case law, and will take every possible legal action to protect you. I will be representing and protecting your interests, freedom and your reputation. These are all of great concern to me when I take on your case.

If you are the target of a state or federal investigation in a white collar offense, but have not yet been charged, you can assume that you soon will be. Federal investigations can take many months, or even years, before charges are filed. If any law enforcement body or investigative authority has asked you to provide information, never do so without having your white collar crime attorney present. Countless individuals have damaged their own defense case simply because their rights were not protected during the questioning process. You may not be obligated to answer questions at all.

Contact my firm if any law enforcement agency, whether federal or state, has contacted you - before you agree to answer questions. You have the right to remain silent, and exercising this right could save you from an arrest in some cases. Minimally, it will protect you from making statements that could later come back to haunt you in court. Make an appointment at my firm immediately if you are facing charges in state or federal court on a white collar offense. As a Honolulu white collar crime lawyer, I will act at once to protect your rights and freedoms, and initiate the necessary defense actions to assist you.