Top 7 Legal Issues in White-Collar Crime Today

White-collar criminals might not look like the typical gangster in TV or movies, but they are breaking the law nonetheless, and often doing serious financial damage in the process. Whether bilking your grandmother out of her retirement funds or embezzling from your retirement fund, white-collar crime can take many forms and is often perpetrated by people trusted with access and authority.

Here are seven of the biggest white-collar crime concerns right now:

1. Today's Most Notorious White Collar Criminals

White-collar criminals are fascinating, if only because of the complexity and ingenuity of many of their crimes. Here are three that caught our attention.

2. How to Spot a Federal Election Crime

With the primaries heating up, that means more talk about voter fraud and campaign financing laws, and who is breaking which. Do you know if your civil rights (or someone else's) have been violated?

3. Crime on Internet Thriving in Recession: FBI Report

Now that criminals are on the Internet, they're not logging off when the economy takes a downturn. In fact, they're probably ramping up efforts to take your money.

4. What Are the Criminal Penalties for Hacking?

So what happens to those criminals in the Internet when they get caught? Federal and state prosecution, a long stretch in prison, and most likely a good deal of financial restitution.

5. Street Gangs Are Getting Involved in White-Collar Crimes

Tax fraud, identity theft, and money wiring schemes aren't just for accountants or guys dressed like them. A little technology and intelligence can make anyone a white-collar criminal.

6. What Happens When a Company Gets Indicted?

It's not just individuals that commit crimes -- when a bunch of them working for the same company conspire to do harm, or even fail to prevent it, the entire entity can suffer criminal penalties.

7. 5 Countries With No U.S. Extradition Treaty

So where do white-collar criminals run when the jig is up? Preferably to a country that won't send them home to face the music. Here are a few of those countries.

Just because it's not murder or drug dealing, doesn't make it less of a crime, and the ramifications of white-collar crime can be far reaching. And if the long arm of the law has reached out and grabbed you for a white-collar crime, you should get yourself an experienced attorney ASAP.

Related Resources:

• Browse White Collar Crimes Lawyers by Location (FindLaw Directory)
• White Collar Crime (FindLaw Blotter)
• SEC, DOJ Investigating Drug-Price Hiking CEO (FindLaw Blotter)
• Securities Law Basics: Common Types of Securities Wrongs (FindLaw Blotter)