Galveston White-Collar Crime Lawyer

White-Collar Crime Attorney In Galveston

The term “white-collar crime” is broadly applied to criminal offenses that are typically financial in nature. These offenses include various types of fraud, unfair business practices, and regulatory violations that, while largely nonviolent, can be tremendously damaging, sometimes to many victims. If you have been charged with any such offense, you need to speak to a skilled Galveston white-collar crime lawyer at your first opportunity.

Experienced Criminal Defense Counsel for White-Collar Crimes in Galveston, TX

An experienced white-collar crime attorney can provide comprehensive support through all stages of your criminal case, from initial investigation and formally filed charges to fighting to defend you in the courtroom or negotiating a plea deal if necessary. The team at Hochglaube & DeBorde, P.C., has extensive experience handling difficult white-collar criminal defense in Galveston, and we are ready to put this experience to work in your case.

Galveston is not only a major tourist destination, but also an industrial hub hosting companies like American National Insurance Co. and Landry’s, Inc., as well as the home of Texas A&M University at Galveston. It’s possible for white-collar criminal cases to involve individuals as well as businesses, and these cases are sometimes prosecuted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

When you are charged with a crime or when your business is under criminal investigation, the first steps you take in this situation are crucial. Most law enforcement agencies that pursue white-collar crimes build these cases gradually over time, gathering evidence until they believe their case is strong enough to move to formally file charges. You need a Galveston white-collar crime lawyer on your side to build the strongest possible defense.

Understanding White-Collar Crimes in Galveston

White-collar crimes are often prosecuted at the federal level crime. It is also possible for state and local law enforcement agencies to coordinate with federal agencies in these cases, and many white-collar crime cases are built gradually over months or even years before any arrests occur. When unfair business practices, fraud, or any malfeasance involving corporate securities occurs, it’s likely that federal law enforcement will spearhead the criminal investigation.

According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a nonprofit data research project that was founded in 1989 at Syracuse University, US attorney offices throughout the country filed 4,332 white-collar criminal prosecutions during fiscal year 2024. Government officials have only filed prosecutions for 30% to 50% of cases referred to the Department of Justice since 1986, and so far in fiscal year 2025, this rate has fallen to only 24%.

During fiscal year 2024, out of the 4,332 prosecutions filed for white-collar crimes, just 44 of these cases were filed against corporations. The rest were filed against individuals. Some of the most common examples of white-collar crimes prosecuted in state and federal courts in the United States include:

• Fraud. This term applies to any activity meant to deceive for financial benefits. Check fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud, corporate fraud, and tax fraud are just a few examples of offenses that may be prosecuted by state or federal law enforcement agencies.
• Money laundering. This offense entails a legitimate business taking money, usually cash, from illegal sources to effectively wash it and hide its true origin. These operations usually involve agreements between criminal elements and business owners, and the business owner receives payment for performing this service.
• Embezzlement. This offense involves the personal use of company assets. Essentially, embezzlement cases involve employees stealing from their employers.
• Insider trading. It is illegal for anyone to exercise stock options using information that is not publicly available. This type of market manipulation occurs when someone is in a position through their employer to access information that will cause stock prices to fluctuate once it is disclosed to the public.
• Market manipulation. Businesses may engage in unethical tactics to secure favorable market conditions, limit competition, or even coordinate price-fixing schemes with other businesses.
• Tax evasion. This term defines any deliberate measures taken to avoid paying owed taxes or to hide sources of income to minimize tax liabilities illegally.
• Bribery. This offense involves a payment made to a government official or law enforcement agent for some type of benefit that is not usually provided to the business. For example, a company may offer a cash payment to a government official in exchange for supporting a policy that would be beneficial to the company.
• Regulatory noncompliance. Many large corporations are subject to regulations enforced by various state and federal agencies. Failing to maintain compliance can lead to fines and other penalties, but noncompliance issues could also reveal deliberate and illegal actions that can lead to criminal charges.
• Cybercrime. This is a broad term used to define any type of intentional illegal activity conducted over the internet. Identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud, phishing, and intentional data breaches are common examples.

These are just a few examples of white-collar criminal cases. Ultimately, many of these cases involve complex financial transactions, detailed digital records, and various complex laws that often involve government regulations. As such, most of these cases are handled by federal agencies such as the FBI, SEC, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

In every criminal case in the United States, the defendant is presumed to be innocent until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury of their peers. Beyond a reasonable doubt is a much higher standard of proof than many people realize. It is your defense attorney’s job to prevent the prosecution from meeting this burden of proof, and it is vital to start building your defense with an attorney’s help as quickly as possible after charges have been filed.

Potential Penalties for White-Collar Criminal Conviction

The penalties for white-collar criminal convictions vary, and different types of penalties are assigned to individuals and corporations. The majority of convictions will lead to fines as well as restitution. When a white-collar crime has harmed victims, the defendant will likely be required to repay these losses. Additionally, the defendant may also face civil lawsuits from those negatively affected by their actions.

An individual charged with a white-collar crime could face incarceration. It is also possible for a case against a business to result in one or more members of the business facing incarceration for the roles they played in the illegal acts. It is also possible for individuals or corporations convicted of white-collar crimes to face asset seizure, and they could be forced to forfeit any assets gained through illegal misconduct.

In addition to the penalties assigned by the court and the civil liabilities a defendant could face, a conviction for any white-collar crime can lead to severe reputational damage. An individual could lose a professional license they held, forcing them to find a new job, and the record of their conviction could make it very difficult for them to find work. A corporation will likely sustain severe reputational damage, potentially to the point that it would be forced to cease operations.

Building a Defense Against White-Collar Crime Charges

The first steps you take after criminal charges have been filed against you or your company are crucial. You have the right to defense representation when you are charged with any crime, and it is important to choose an attorney who has proven experience handling cases like yours to have the greatest chance of reaching a positive outcome in your case.

If you are arrested for any federal crime in Galveston, you have the right to remain silent. You are under no obligation to answer questions from arresting officers or provide any statements. Politely comply with their instructions, but do not say anything until you have a criminal defense attorney advising you. Hire a skilled federal crime lawyer at your first opportunity so they can review the charges against you and begin building your defense.

Many white-collar crimes are financial in nature, and these cases often require careful review of extensive records and documentation on both sides of the case. One of the most important initial phases of any criminal case is the discovery phase, during which the prosecution and defense exchange evidence and witness testimony. Your defense team can explain what to expect, and they will be crucial for gathering exculpatory evidence that contradicts the prosecution.

How Your Galveston White-Collar Crime Lawyer Can Help

Your Galveston white-collar crime lawyer at Hochglaube & DeBorde, P.C., can carefully review the case filed against you, determine whether the prosecution’s evidence was obtained legally, and help you build a defense in several ways. Success with your case may require proving that there was some mistake of fact and that you did not break the law, or that a mistake of law has created an unlawful case built on faulty evidence.

If you did commit a crime, your defense attorney can still be an invaluable asset. Many prosecutors are open to negotiating plea deals with defendants, exchanging their cooperation and guilty pleas for lighter sentences and/or reduced or dropped charges. However, this is never guaranteed, and the scope and severity of the offense or offenses typically dictate whether any type of plea deal could be offered.

Prosecutors may offer individual defendants plea deals in exchange for their cooperation with larger investigations. It’s also possible for plea deals to be offered if employees of a company were unwitting and/or unwilling participants in their employers’ illegal activities. While such cases are rare, these are just a few examples of how plea negotiations could come into play in a white-collar criminal case.

When you choose Hochglaube & DeBorde, P.C., to represent you as your defense counsel, our goal will be to help you avoid conviction if possible or mitigate your penalties if necessary. We have extensive experience handling difficult criminal defense representation, and we are confident we can help you reach a positive conclusion to your case. You have limited time to start building your defense, so reach out to our team right away to learn how we can help.

FAQs

What Are the Penalties for White-Collar Crimes in Texas?

Penalties for white-collar crimes in Texas vary on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, these cases can be prosecuted in state or federal criminal courts, and penalties for federal convictions are generally harsher. A defendant could face fines, jail time, loss of professional licenses, and may also be required to pay restitution to any victims of their illegal activities.

What Are the Most Common White-Collar Crimes?

The most common white-collar crimes are various forms of fraud. Many fraud cases involving individual defendants pertain to insurance fraud, check fraud, bank fraud, and other types of fraud committed for personal gain. Businesses could be charged with securities fraud, corporate fraud, and many other illegal practices aimed at taking advantage of clients or customers, misrepresenting products or services, or maintaining a strong public reputation.

Why Should I Hire a White-Collar Crime Lawyer?

You should hire a white-collar crime lawyer because these criminal cases are inherently complex, and it is crucial to have defense counsel on your side who has proven experience handling cases like yours. Your defense attorney can potentially help you avoid conviction or, at the very least, mitigate the penalties that are assigned to you when conviction is unavoidable.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Galveston White-Collar Crime Lawyer?

The cost to hire a Galveston white-collar crime lawyer can usually depend on the attorney’s billing policy. Most criminal defense lawyers bill their clients by the hour, tracking how much time they spend working on a case. Generally, the more time your attorney must spend working on your case, the more it will cost you in legal fees.

The team at Hochglaube & DeBorde, P.C., provides aggressive defense in the most challenging criminal cases. We have years of proven experience defending clients in Galveston from all types of white-collar criminal charges and will leverage this experience in your case. You have limited time to react to your charges, so contact our firm today and schedule a free consultation with a Galveston white-collar crime lawyer.