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The 3 Most Important Types Of Evidence In White Collar Criminal Cases
posted on 10/23/24

A white-collar crime is a nonviolent crime that is primarily committed for the purpose of financial gain.

Out of all the white-collar crimes that one can be charged with in Illinois, the following are the most notable:

  1. Identity theft.
  2. Fraud
  3. Embezzlement.
  4. Money laundering.

Every single one of the white-collar crimes outlined above can come with significant penalties.

Just as an example, identity theft is almost always charged as a felony. This means that if someone is convicted of identity theft, they often face three to seven years in prison. This is on top of a hefty fine.

Before someone can be convicted of a white-collar crime, they must be found guilty of it. In most white-collar criminal cases, guilt is determined by the evidence available to those charging the individual.

By going over the three most important types of evidence in white-collar criminal cases and speaking with an experienced Schaumburg criminal defense attorney, you can protect your innocence.

Watch Attorney Thomas T. Glasgow discuss the importance of having an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side on YouTube and TikTok.

Evidence Type 01: Witness Testimony

A wide variety of different types of people can provide witness testimony for white-collar criminal cases. Some of these different types of people are as follows: 

  1. Business partners.
  2. Colleagues who were involved in the alleged criminal act.
  3. Victims.
  4. Friends.
  5. Family members.

Every single one of the above can provide witness testimony. This witness testimony can be used against you, although it will, in many cases, be cross-examined to assess its validity.

Evidence Type 02: Financial Documentation

Just about every white-collar crime involves financial documentation of one sort or another.

A good example of financial documentation within the context of a white-collar crime is tax documents. These may contain discrepancies between other documentation – bank records, for example – which could be used against you.

Other financial documents that may be used against you include invoices and contracts. Both of these documents can be used to establish that illegal acts occurred or to establish the scope of a particular white-collar crime.

Even though financial documentation is often crucial to white-collar criminal prosecutions, these documents aren’t always reliable/accurate. You and your attorney can use this – among other options – as part of your defense.

Evidence Type 03: Digital Records

Digital tools are often used to conduct white-collar crimes. This means that if a prosecutor has access to certain digital records, they could use these records to support their claims.

If two people correspond through email and outline what they are doing, this can be used as evidence. Or alternatively, if those same two people correspond through social media, then this could also be used as evidence.

On top of what has been clarified above, many of the records that are related to a crime – bank statements, for example – are digital. These, too, can be used by the prosecution to support their claims.

Get Qualified Legal Help Today

If you need representation for a white-collar criminal charge, Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to help you.

Our team has helped thousands of people who have been charged with crimes in Illinois. When we take cases, we do so to win. This means we take cases to trial. We don’t arrange plea bargains unless it is in the best interest of our clients. As proactive lawyers, we fight aggressively and support our clients throughout their entire case, including appeals. Protecting your life and freedom is always the goal, and with our decades of experience practicing law, we know how to get results. This is why we are regularly invited to appear as a legal contributor on popular radio and news outlets, including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox NEWS.

When you need an attorney, experience matters. 

Speak with a Chicago criminal defense attorney today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.