Common White Collar Crimes in New Jersey

White-collar crimes are non-violent offenses typically involving theft. They often consist of some form of deception or manipulation to steal money or property or to gain an unfair advantage. A common element in many white-collar crimes is fraud, where someone makes a false representation to trick another person for personal gain.

The following are the types of white-collar crime prosecuted in New Jersey:

• Theft by unlawful taking (N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3) — Stealing property outright, like taking money from an employer’s cash register without permission.
• Theft by deception (N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4) — Taking money or property by means of false statements, such as lying about one’s qualifications to land a high-paying job or misrepresenting the value of an item sold.
• Theft by failure to make required disposition (N.J.S.A. 2C:20-9) — Being entrusted with someone else’s property but then keeping it instead of returning it or using it as instructed. A common example is embezzlement, where a bookkeeper steals funds entrusted to their care.
• Identity theft (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17) — Stealing someone’s personal information, like a Social Security number or credit card details, to access their accounts or commit fraud in their name.
• Credit card fraud (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6) — Using someone else’s credit card without permission, or making unauthorized charges on your own card.
• Forgery (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-1) — Creating or altering a document, like a check or prescription, to deceive someone for personal benefit. Even changing the date on a document can bring forgery charges.
• Bad checks (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6) — Writing a check knowing there aren’t enough funds to cover it is a form of theft.
• Insurance fraud (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-4.6) — Deliberately filing a false claim to receive money the insured is not entitled to.
• Healthcare fraud (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-4.3) — Billing for unnecessary medical services or submitting false claims to healthcare insurers.
• Tax fraud (N.J.S.A. 54:52-9) — Intentionally underreporting your income or claiming false deductions to evade taxes.
• Securities fraud (N.J.S.A. 49:3-52) — Misrepresenting information about an investment or manipulating the stock market for personal gain.
• Money laundering (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25) — Converting money obtained illegally into seemingly legitimate funds.
• Official misconduct by government employees (N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2) — Abusing one’s position as a public official for personal gain, like accepting bribes.

Penalties for these crimes typically increase with the amount of money or property diverted. Generally, a conviction carries a sentence of three to five years in prison if the amount is $500 or more, and can climb to five to ten years for amounts exceeding $75,000.

If you’re facing white-collar criminal charges, a skilled New Jersey defense lawyer can can advise you about the nature of the case and the potential defenses available and can fight to protect your rights and minimize the potential consequences.

At the Law Office of David Jay Glassman, we have more than 40 years of experience representing defendants throughout New Jersey on white-collar criminal charges. We have offices in Marlton, New Brunswick, Hackensack and Newark. To arrange a free consultation, call us at 866-221-1270 or contact us online.