You may only think of violent crimes, such as murders, robberies or assaults, when a criminal act comes to mind. However, there are other types of crimes, such as financial crimes, that are not violent at all. Yet they are still considered to be serious.

Most financial crimes involve deception and the abuse of trust. Although the illegal activities involved in a financial crime may not be immediately apparent, they can impact victims for many years. Thus, many financial crimes carry stiff penalties, and if you are accused of one, you could spend substantial time in jail. Here are a few of the types of financial crimes of which you could be accused:

Fraud

If you are accused of fraud, you are believed to have been dishonest in an attempt to get some type of benefit, usually monetary gain. There are many different kinds of fraud. For instance, health care fraud involves trying to obtain gain by deceiving a medical patient. A doctor may perform an unnecessary procedure or bill the patient's insurer for services that were never provided.

Blackmail

When a person threatens to expose a secret, physically harm someone, or damage property if the threatened victim doesn't provide payment, the person is guilty of blackmail.

Cyber Crimes

If you use a computer to commit a criminal act, it is considered a cyber crime. The computer may have been used to transfer money illegally from a bank account or to make an illegal purchase. Nevertheless, there are cyber crimes that do not involve money, such as the illegal spread of pornography or the sending of a harassing email.

Money Laundering

If a person tries to hide the illegal source of his or her money by putting it back into public circulation, he or she is guilty of laundering money. Some people may launder money by purchasing and then re-selling property, such as houses or automobiles. In some cases, the person may have several individuals conduct small transactions to launder the money without causing suspicion.

Forgery

When a person illegally creates or authorizes a document to make it appear legal, forgery is involved. Forgery can include signing the name of someone else or creating an altered copy of a document and passing it as though it was the original.

There are many different financial crimes for which a person could be accused. If you have been charged with a nonviolent crime involving money, contact a criminal defense attorney in your area today.

For professional legal help, contact a lawyer such as Malcolm Stewart Douglas Atty.