Lexington White Collar Crimes Lawyer

Are you facing charges related to a white-collar crime in Lexington, Kentucky? Contact Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, for immediate legal assistance. Our Lexington white-collar crimes lawyer has decades of experience handling these complex matters. Call us at (859) 569-4014.

We know how much is at stake and are ready to help you fight to protect your future. Our Lexington, KY law firm has the resources, knowledge, and skills necessary to defend you against these serious criminal matters in court.

It is imperative you seek legal representation as soon as possible if facing these charges. The longer you wait, the higher the risk of the prosecution getting the conviction they seek. Contact our law office to arrange a free consultation now.

How Our Lexington, KY Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help When You are Charged with a White Collar Crime

How Our Lexington, KY Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help When You are Charged with a White Collar Crime

At Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, our Lexington criminal defense lawyers are ready to stand by your side you as you go through this stressful and uncertain time. We understand the embarrassment, frustration, and fear our clients face when dealing with accusations of white-collar crimes.

With no violence involved, it may seem unfair that the penalties can be fairly harsh, but the state takes these crimes very seriously. 

A conviction for a white collar crime can result in harsh penalties, including high fines and long terms of imprisonment. Depending on the severity of accusations, white-collar crime cases involve possible grand jury investigations and high-profile prosecutors ready to fight against you. In order to minimize the potential consequences of your arrest, you’ll need a skilled and reputable white collar crime lawyer in Lexington to represent you. 

With Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, in your corner, you can rest assured that your future is in good hands. Our skilled team of attorneys will:

  • Review the charges against you and assess the strength (or lack thereof) of the evidence that’s being used against you
  • Determine if your rights have been violated in any way
  • Organize and oversee an investigation into the circumstances of your alleged white-collar criminal offense
  • Work closely with experts, including financial specialists, forensic accountants, appraisers, and anyone else who might be able to provide critical insight into the more complex or technical components of your case
  • Handle communications and negotiations with the state or federal government
  • Identify weaknesses in the government’s case and determine how best to undermine the allegations
  • Work to negotiate a plea bargain, if that would be in your best interest
  • Skillfully try your case before a jury of your peers

We’ve represented countless clients in white-collar criminal matters in both state and federal court in Lexington, Fayette County, and across the state of Kentucky. We’re ready to put everything we know to work to benefit you. Give us a call to get our skilled white collar criminal defense lawyers in your corner now.

What is White Collar Crime?

Although they are non-violent offenses, white collar crimes can carry harsh penalties for the broad damage they can inflict. The primary motive is monetary gain through the manipulation of finances. 

White collar criminals can be prosecuted in Kentucky state courts as well as the United States federal courts. Our Lexington criminal defense lawyers are experienced at the state and federal level and know both court systems well.

The most prosecuted white collar crimes include:

  • Money Laundering: The defendant is accused of disguising monetary proceeds from illegal sources as legitimate income. Examples of charges that incur this monetary gain include human trafficking, healthcare fraud, drugs, terrorism, and other complex financially-motivated crimes.
  • Corporate Fraud: Involvement in accounting schemes to deceive investors and auditors about the financial situation of their company or corporation. This can include charges of falsifying financial documents, as well as insider trading.
  • Securities and Commodities Fraud: Fraud scheme related to financial accounts. These charges can include investment fraud, Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, market manipulation, broker embezzlement, and commodities fraud cases.

Corporate fraud cases are top priority cases for the Federal Bureau of Investigations team that investigates white collar crime. This is because these cases are the most common white collar crimes and have the greatest negative impact on the economy.

Note, tax evasion and health care fraud are also increasingly common white collar criminal offenses.

Money Laundering

The process of money laundering involves a number of well-planned steps for successful execution. Money gained illegally is strategically placed in financial institutions and transferred internationally. Financial trails are then covered and money is returned to the perpetrator through seemingly legitimate sources. 

Kentucky is not well-known as a high traffic area for money laundering. However, the state’s narcotic epidemic does put Kentucky at risk for schemes involving white collar crimes in drug trafficking. On April 26, 2020, a Los Angeles woman was convicted here in Lexington, Kentucky, on charges related to drug trafficking and an attempt at money laundering. 

In this high-profile case, the defendant, forty-one-year-old Katharine Matthews, was part of a scheme to distribute large amounts of cocaine and marijuana throughout the east coast. The drugs belonged to the Cartel, and they planned on using private jets to distribute the drugs in Lexington, Louisville, New York, Charleston, and Miami. The defendant is currently facing life in prison for these charges. 

Corporate Fraud

Corporate fraud cases are critical to the FBI for the devastating threat they pose to the economy. These cases could be self-interest dealing by corporate insiders, fraud regarding a mutual hedge fund, misrepresenting products or services, and falsifying company or personal financial information in order to protect their insider trading and self-interest dealings.

Statistics for organizational fraudulent crimes are on a continual rise, but rates for corporate fraud, the FBI’s most targeted white collar crime, is on the decline. The reason for the discrepancy is related to the accuracy of the statistics

Some corporations are embarrassed and afraid of public reputation scandals if they report criminal activity inside the company. Others do not think law enforcement is sophisticated and tech-savvy enough to investigate complex corporate issues. They also do not trust law enforcement to conduct a proper investigation. 

Commodities Fraud

Commodities fraud schemes involve the defendant, usually a broker or banker, falsely promising high yield returns and low-risk investments. The broker then uses the client’s money for their own investments and returns.

This is common in the precious metals market, in which the defendant is accused of tricking investors into buying gold or silver, and then embezzling their funds for personal use. 

Penalties for White Collar Crimes

In order to convict a defendant for a white collar crime, the prosecution must prove that the defendant had the intent to knowingly participate in the crime and was intentionally deceptive in the concealment of the crime. Due to the vast range in severity of white collar crimes, penalties are also broad. Penalties can include:

  • Fines and Restitution: Financial penalties for white collar crimes can result in high fines. Misdemeanor charges can incur a few thousand in fines, while a federal felony conviction could result in up to $500,000 in fines.
  • Probation / House Arrest: The lesser among the penalties, a misdemeanor conviction could result in reporting to a probation officer. This would also involve drug testing and home visits. One of the stipulations of probation is the lengthening of a sentence should the offender re-offend or commit any other crime during the probation period. Typically, probationary sentences last a duration of one to three years. 
  • Prison Sentencing: Federal charges could result in facing prison sentences. Smaller crimes could serve just one to three years, while large schemes involving human trafficking, drug trafficking, or terrorism charges, could leave a defendant facing a sentence of twenty years to life.

In addition to the immediate legal repercussions, being convicted of white collar crimes can also have devastating collateral consequences on your future. The concern that you have been convicted of a theft-related financial crime can make future employers less inclined to see you as trustworthy enough to hire. Your reputation and that of your family will also be irreparably tarnished. 

If the crime resulted in an innocent individual suffering great financial loss, then sentencing for the crime is likely to be much more severe. 

The good news is that convictions for white collar crimes have reached an all-time low, plunging over twenty-five percent in the past five years. Prosecutors have to prove that the defendant intentionally stole, concealed the location and origin of funds, or was dishonest in ownership of money. 

You are innocent until proven guilty. If the prosecution cannot prove any required element, their case falls apart. Our criminal defense attorneys know how to handle white collar crimes. Contact us to discuss your case and let us help you fight these charges before they can do irreparable harm to your life.

Defenses in White Collar Crimes Cases

There are a number of different defense strategies we can consider. Based on the specifics of your case, these strategies might include:

  • Arguing that your monetary gain was a result of legitimate actions rather than illegal activity.
  • That you made no attempt to hide the monetary gain, which is a necessity if the prosecutors are pressing charges of money laundering.
  • That you were forced to commit the crime, acting out of fear for your safety or the safety of your loved ones.
  • We may even be able to get the charges dropped due to lack of evidence involving your intent.

We will consider all these options as we build a defense strategy in your case. Having represented numerous clients on white collar crime charges, our criminal defense team knows how to put together a strong defense. We will negotiate to get your charges dropped or at least lessened. If we are unable to do so, we will work on getting your sentence reduced.

Contact Our Lexington White Collar Crimes Lawyers For a Free Consultation 

You need a lawyer who understands the different state and federal white collar crime laws. Each criminal charge within this broad range of crimes carries specific attributes necessary for a conviction. Not all attorneys know criminal law well enough to match our knowledge and expertise.

At Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers, our team of Lexington white collar crime defense attorneys is standing by and ready to defend your case. We know the law inside and out and will be relentless in pursuit of your freedom. Call our Kentucky law firm today for a free consultation to discuss your case and the legal options available to you. 


Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers
333 W Vine St #212
Lexington, KY
(859) 569-4014

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