Legal Blog

The term “white collar crime” refers to non-violent, financially motivated criminal offenses. White-collar crimes are often mistakenly characterized as less serious offenses; however, the truth is that many white-collar crimes can be charged as high-level felonies that carry correspondingly harsh sentences for a conviction. Understanding the various types of white-collar… Read More

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is a federal agency responsible for protecting investors, regulating the securities market, and facilitating capital formation. If you received a “target letter,” or you otherwise have reason to believe you are the target of an SEC investigation, it is imperative that you understand what… Read More

When most people think of blackmail, they think of the crime in its simplest form: you ask someone for money, and if they don’t pay up, you threaten to tell their secret to everyone. While that’s blackmail in the simplest sense, it’s not the only form federal blackmail can… Read More

The United States Attorney prosecutes cases on behalf of the federal government.  Each US Attorney’s Office has its own area of jurisdiction and acts as the representative of the federal government in their state, district, or territory. The US Attorney’s Office also defends civil cases against the federal government and… Read More

The police can’t just take your property if you didn’t commit a crime, right?  Wrong. According to federal and state civil asset forfeiture laws, the police have the right to “seize and forfeit” property from people if they have “clear and convincing evidence” that the property was used to carry… Read More

A federal plea agreement is essentially the same as any other legally binding contract. That means that breaking the plea agreement or getting out of it is incredibly difficult after you’ve signed your name. With that in mind, it’s possible to get out of a plea agreement. However, that often… Read More

The federal government looks at the crime of conspiracy a bit differently than other crimes. That’s because an individual can face conspiracy charges without physically committing a crime. Per statute 18 U.S.C. § 371, you can be charged with conspiracy for simply agreeing to commit a… Read More

Did you know that you can be prosecuted by the federal government and the state government for the same crime? Though it’s rare, you should be aware of the differences between the charges, penalties, and procedures for federal vs. state crimes. Generally, federal crimes incur harsher penalties and mandatory minimum… Read More

Yes. Under 18 U.S. Code § 2101 and § 2102, rioting is a federal crime that can lead to serious penalties for convicted individuals. Further, inciting or encouraging a riot is also a federal offense. That means that social media influencers, politicians, and the like can all be held criminally… Read More