Gorospe and Smith P.L.L.C.

white collar crimes

 

The term "white collar crime" describes non-violent criminal activity in the commercial or business realm, usually committed for financial gain. Examples of white collar crime include embezzlement, securities fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering. White collar offenses can be committed by individuals or corporations, and criminal statutes governing white collar crime are found at both the state and federal level.

Embezzlement

A. Embezzlement is the fraudulent appropriation of property of any person or legal entity, legally obtained, to any use or purpose not intended or authorized by its owner, or the secretion of the property with the fraudulent intent to appropriate it to such use or purpose, under any of the following circumstances:

1. Where the property was obtained by being entrusted to that person for a specific purpose, use, or disposition and shall include, but not be limited to, any funds "held in trust" for any purpose;

2. Where the property was obtained by virtue of a power of attorney being granted for the sale or transfer of the property;

3. Where the property is possessed or controlled for the use of another person;

4. Where the property is to be used for a public or benevolent purpose;

5. Where any person diverts any money appropriated by law from the purpose and object of the appropriation;

6. Where any person fails or refuses to pay over to the state, or appropriate authority, any tax or other monies collected in accordance with state law, and who appropriates the tax or monies to the use of that person, or to the use of any other person not entitled to the tax or monies;

7. Where the property is possessed for the purpose of transportation, without regard to whether packages containing the property have been broken;

8. Where any person removes crops from any leased or rented premises with the intent to deprive the owner or landlord interested in the land of any of the rent due from that land, or who fraudulently appropriates the rent to that person or any other person; or

9. Where the property is possessed or controlled by virtue of a lease or rental agreement, and the property is willfully or intentionally not returned within ten (10) days after the expiration of the agreement.

Embezzlement does not require a distinct act of taking, but only a fraudulent appropriation, conversion or use of property.

B. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, embezzlement shall be punished as follows:

1. If the value of the property embezzled is less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), any person convicted shall be punished by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not more than one (1) year, or by both such fine and imprisonment;

2. If the value of the property embezzled is Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or more but less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), any person convicted shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one (1) year or by imprisonment in the county jail for one or more nights or weekends pursuant to Section 991a-2 of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes, at the discretion of the court, and shall be subject to a fine not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and ordered to pay restitution to the victim as provided in Section 991f of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

3. If the value of the property embezzled is One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or more but less than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), any person convicted shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for a term of not more than five (5) years, and a fine of not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and ordered to pay restitution to the victim as provided in Section 991f of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes; or

4. If the value of the property embezzled is Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) or more, any person convicted shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for a term of not more than ten (10) years, and a fine not exceeding Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), and ordered to pay restitution to the victim as provided in Section 991f of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

C. Any county or state officer, deputy or employee of such officer, who shall divert any money appropriated by law from the purpose and object of the appropriation, shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for a term not less than one (1) year nor more than ten (10) years, and a fine equal to triple the amount of money so embezzled and ordered to pay restitution to the victim as provided in Section 991f of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The fine shall operate as a judgment lien at law on all estate of the party so convicted and sentenced, and shall be enforced by execution or other process for the use of the person whose money or other funds or property were embezzled. In all cases the fine, so operating as a judgment lien, shall be released or entered as satisfied only by the person in interest.

Extortion

Extortion is the obtaining of property from another with his consent, induced by a wrongful use of force or fear, or under color of official right.

Blackmail

Blackmail is verbally or by written or printed communication and with intent to extort or gain any thing of value from another or to compel another to do an act against his will:

1. Accusing or threatening to accuse any person of a crime or conduct which would tend to degrade and disgrace the person accused; or

2. Exposing or threatening to expose any fact, report or information concerning any person which would in any way subject such person to the ridicule or contempt of society, coupled with the threat that such accusation or exposure will be communicated to a third person or persons unless the person threatened or some other person pays or delivers to the accuser or some other person some thing of value or does some act against his will. Blackmail is a felony punishable by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for not to exceed five (5) years or fine not to exceed Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) or by both such imprisonment and fine.

Obtaining Property Under False Pretenses

Every person who, with intent to cheat and defraud, shall obtain or attempt to obtain from any person, firm or corporation any money, property or valuable thing, of a value less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), by means or by use of any trick or deception, or false or fraudulent representation or statement or pretense, or by any other means or instruments or device commonly called the "confidence game", or by means or use of any false or bogus checks, or by any other written or printed or engraved instrument or spurious coin, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one (1) year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Possession of Forged Instruments

Every person who, with intent to defraud, has in his possession any forged, altered or counterfeit negotiable note, bill, draft or other evidence of debt issued or purporting to have been issued by any corporation or company duly authorized for that purpose by the laws of this state or of any other state, government or country, the forgery of which is hereinbefore declared to be punishable, knowing the same to be forged, altered or counterfeited, with intent to utter the same as true or as false, or to cause the same to be so uttered, is guilty of forgery in the second degree.

Uttering a Forged Instrument

Every person who, with intent to defraud, utters or publishes as true any forged, altered or counterfeited instrument or any counterfeit gold or silver coin, the forging, altering or counterfeiting of which is hereinbefore declared to be punishable, knowing such instrument or coin to be forged, altered or counterfeited, is guilty of forgery in the second degree.

 

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Gorospe & Smith P.L.L.C.
1521 South Denver Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119
p: 918-582-7775
f: 918-517-3170
e:info@greencountrylaw.com

The Tulsa law firm of Gorospe & Smith, P.L.L.C., represents clients throughout northeastern Oklahoma in communities such as Sapulpa, Claremore, Bixby, Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Collinsville, Glenpool, Jenks, Leonard, Lotsee, Oakhurst, Owasso, Sand Springs, Sperry, Turley, West Tulsa, Bristow; in Oklahoma City; and statewide.

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