702-623-6362 
Financial crime allegations can put far more at risk than a criminal record. A business owner may be questioned about company transactions, an employee may be accused of misusing entrusted funds, or a professional may learn that investigators are reviewing years of financial records. An allegation can also involve a disputed contract, accounting practices, or electronic records that need careful interpretation.
At LV Criminal Defense, attorney Nicholas Wooldridge represents people facing criminal accusations in Las Vegas and throughout the surrounding area.
Based in downtown Las Vegas, LV Criminal Defense assists clients throughout Clark County, including Summerlin, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Paradise, Spring Valley, and Enterprise. Whether an allegation grows out of a workplace audit, a disputed business transaction, a casino-credit matter, or a state or federal investigation, the critical questions are what the records show, which laws apply, and what deadlines must be met.
White collar cases require close attention to the underlying transaction, the specific statute, what investigators can actually prove, and any related licensing, employment, business, or civil consequences.
If you are arrested, receive a subpoena, are contacted by investigators, or suspect that there is an ongoing investigation into a financial crime; consulting with an attorney as soon as possible will allow you to know what your responsibilities are and how to preserve evidence.
Discuss your situation: Call (702) 623-6362 for a consultation.
Nick Wooldridge has a long track record of representing clients accused of serious federal and state crimes in Nevada.
Table of Contents
“White collar crime” is an umbrella term, not a single criminal charge under Nevada law. It usually describes offenses involving alleged financial gain, deception, misuse of property or information, or abuse of a position of trust. Some accusations concern individual transactions; others arise from business practices or activity examined over months or years.
Depending on the conduct, prosecutors may investigate the same matter as theft, fraud, forgery, identity theft, a computer offense, or a federal financial crime. It might also be a civil dispute without a provable criminal offense. The distinction depends on the applicable statute and evidence—not simply on whether someone lost money.
Nevada’s Chapter 205, Crimes Against Property, provides the statutory framework for many theft-, fraud-, check- and forgery-related offenses. Other Nevada and federal laws govern additional financial crimes.
White collar offenses are not interchangeable. Each criminal statute has its own requirements, and conduct that appears similar on the surface may lead to different charges—or no charge—after the facts are examined. The summaries below retain the range of financial offenses addressed on this page; the linked guides provide additional detail where an individual practice page exists.
Forgery allegations can arise from supposedly falsified signatures, altered financial documents, checks, contracts, business records or other instruments. Prosecutors must connect the accused to conduct that meets the particular statute, including any required intent to defraud or injure. The origin of a document, permission to sign, and the circumstances of its use can be crucial.
When I initially met with Mr. Wooldridge, he took the opportunity to sit and go over my problem with me. He described details in my case which he found disturbing and explained why he I should have him on my side.
See our Nevada forgery defense guide.
Learn more about identity theft charges in Nevada.
Embezzlement cases typically involve property that was given to an individual, or is available to them based on their position/employment. Disputes over expense reimbursements, company accounts, inventory, and client funds can be complicated by questions of who had authority and/or ownership. Transaction records and internal policies may be as important as testimony.
Read more about embezzlement defense.
Money laundering laws address particular transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activity. The government may investigate the source of funds, the person’s knowledge, the purpose of a transfer, and the conduct prohibited by the charged statute. Not every large cash transaction, complicated business structure, or movement of money is laundering. State and federal offenses have different elements, so the specific charge is central to any defense.
Bank fraud is a type of white-collar crime. It can occur in many different ways, including: loan/credit application; transaction on an account; check; transfer; or as part of a larger plan to defraud a financial institution. In order to convict someone of bank fraud, prosecutors must prove more than simply that the bank lost money. Relevant evidence includes: what was said/represented; who approved the transaction; whether the representation was material under the law; and what the accused knew.
See our bank fraud page.
Federal mail and wire fraud statutes can apply to qualifying schemes that use mailings or interstate or foreign electronic communications. Emails, phone calls, or mailed documents do not automatically make an unsuccessful business arrangement criminal. The alleged scheme, required intent, and connection of a communication to that scheme are important.
We discuss mail fraud and wire and mail fraud in greater detail.
Bribery cases can arise from alleged payments, gifts, favors, or other benefits offered or received to improperly influence an official action or other conduct covered by the relevant statute. The existence of a gift or business relationship does not, without more, resolve the legal question. The identities of the participants, the purpose of the exchange, and the law governing the particular setting all need review.
The Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and Nevada’s Racketeering Statutes prohibit certain types of criminal behavior which are part of a pattern of such behavior that is related to an enterprise as defined in the statute. It is insufficient to state that two crimes were committed; rather, the nature of the qualifying acts, how they relate to each other, the duration of time over which they occurred, and their relationship to an enterprise will determine whether or not there has been a violation of RICO.
Nevada defines racketeering activity in NRS Chapter 207, while federal law provides separate definitions in 18 U.S.C. § 1961.
Conspiracy charges concern an alleged agreement to commit a criminal offense, sometimes in connection with fraud, racketeering, or other financial crimes. The requirements—including whether an overt act must be proved—depend on the statute charged; there is no single rule that applies to every Nevada and federal conspiracy case. Prosecutors must evaluate evidence of an actual agreement and the defendant’s knowing participation rather than assume them from association alone.
Mortgage fraud is an investigation of whether a loan application, income/asset information, appraisal, occupancy statement, closing, or mortgage assistance transaction was based upon accurate information. Investigators will ask questions such as: Who created the document? Who reviewed/relied on the document? What did the accused know about the accuracy of the document at the time they made it?
Our mortgage fraud guide explains this category further.
Health care fraud allegations may involve claims for services not provided, duplicate billing, inaccurate coding, unnecessary treatment, kickbacks or purportedly false representations to insurers or government programs such as Medicaid. Billing errors and differences in medical judgment are not automatically criminal fraud.
Federal 18 U.S.C. § 1347 contains specific requirements for health care fraud; the payer, records, and alleged knowledge or intent must be examined.
Computer-related financial investigations may concern alleged unauthorized access, copying data, changing records, using another person’s account, or interfering with a system. Nevada regulates several forms of computer conduct in NRS Chapter 205. A central issue is often whether the person had authorization and what activity can be shown from logs, devices and account permissions. Some cases also involve related identity theft or federal fraud allegations.
An investigation into investments and securities can include reviewing what was said to investors, how their money was handled, the way they traded, if there were any omissions, how much the assets were valued at, and/or whether there was market manipulation. Just because an investment didn’t work out doesn’t mean it was securities fraud; however, the actions taken by those involved in a transaction could lead to both criminal and civil liability.
Therefore, it is important to review the laws applicable to the transaction, the disclosures made, the communications that occurred, and the expectations of the investors.
Read our investment and securities fraud overview.
Payment-card investigations can involve the alleged use of someone else’s card, card information, counterfeit cards, account credentials or disputed charges. Nevada contains specific card-related offenses, including provisions in NRS Chapter 205. Questions of permission, knowledge, identity, and the records supporting an alleged transaction often matter.
See our dedicated credit card fraud page.
Cases with a federal investigative or charging component may also require advice about federal criminal defense procedures.
Financial crime cases do not always start with an arrest. An employer’s internal audit, a customer complaint, a bank’s suspicious-activity report, a regulator’s inquiry, a business partner’s allegation, or a parallel civil lawsuit may lead investigators to request records or interview witnesses.
Investigators may examine accounting ledgers, invoices, contracts, bank statements, text messages, email, business systems, access logs, devices, and the chronology of transactions. A subpoena, document request, search warrant or interview invitation can mean an investigation is underway, but it does not by itself establish that the recipient committed an offense. The FBI’s complex financial crime overview describes examples of matters federal investigators examine.
Preserving records and getting legal advice before responding can matter. A person who is merely a witness at one stage can face different legal risks as facts develop; the opposite is also possible.
Nevada authorities often handle allegations involving local property offenses, forgery, theft and certain check or business transactions. Federal agencies and prosecutors may investigate conduct covered by federal statutes, including qualifying mail, wire or bank fraud, money laundering and securities offenses. Some fact patterns draw interest from both systems.
The definition of federal wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 includes specific elements of a scheme to defraud and qualifying interstate or foreign wire communications. The specific facts and jurisdictional requirements are what matter; the term “online fraud” is not a substitute for proving the statute.
Federal cases also use different investigative processes, court rules and sentencing considerations. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines provide a federal sentencing framework, though a case’s outcome depends on the offense, facts, and applicable law. Defense planning should begin with determining exactly which jurisdiction and charges are involved.
There is no single checklist that applies to every financial offense. A fraud statute may require proof of a particular scheme and fraudulent intent; a theft statute may focus on knowing control of another’s property and a required intent or other statutory condition. A document crime may turn on its authenticity, authorization, and purpose. Some charges also require proof of a financial threshold, jurisdictional link or other circumstance.
These are possible lines of inquiry, not defenses that automatically apply in every case. An effective strategy depends on the elements of the charged offense and evidence that can actually be established.
There are many different types of white-collar crimes; therefore, there is a wide range of possible penalties. Depending upon the statute and the circumstances of your case, you could face fines, probation, jail/prison time, restitution, and/or forfeiture (if allowed by law). The total value of the transaction, number of times you allegedly committed an act, your role in the offense, your criminal history, etc., will all play a part in determining what kind of penalty you might receive.
If records concern an employer, client, spouse or business partner, additional confidentiality and ownership questions may arise. Obtain legal advice before copying, moving or disclosing materials that you may not have the right to access.
No. Losing money, breaking a contract or failing to repay a debt does not by itself prove fraud. But a civil business dispute and a criminal investigation can concern the same conduct. Whether a crime occurred depends on the applicable statute and evidence, including any required deceptive conduct and mental state.
Potentially. Some financial crimes do not require proof that the accused personally kept the proceeds. A court will look at the specific offense, alleged participation and evidence. A lack of personal gain may still matter in understanding the case.
No. “White collar” describes a category of conduct, not a level of offense. Some conduct may support misdemeanor charges, some may support felony charges, and some disputes may not be criminal at all.
Treat it as serious and obtain legal counsel prior to responding. Even if no criminal charges have been filed, a subpoena may require you to respond in a timely manner; furthermore, your rights and responsibilities will be determined by the scope of the subpoena, who issued it, and whether you are a witness, subject or target.
Yes. Although state and federal laws often cover similar types of behavior, each type of crime has different elements and prosecutors make different decisions. This is why it is important to understand the full extent of an investigation before providing statements or producing records.
Some Nevada criminal records may qualify for sealing, depending on the charge, disposition, required waiting period and statutory exclusions. Eligibility is case-specific; consult our Nevada record sealing guide after reviewing the particular outcome.
Federal Bureau of Investigation – White Collar Crime Division
1787 W Lake Mead Blvd,
Las Vegas, NV 89106
702-385-1281
National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys – White Collar Crimes
5 Star 735 reviewsWhite collar matters are document-intensive and often involve competing explanations of the same transaction. A meaningful consultation should clarify the charge or investigative request, identify deadlines, assess what evidence must be preserved and explain the immediate legal decisions facing you.
Attorney Nicholas Wooldridge can review the specific allegations and discuss the defense process and options available under the circumstances. No lawyer can promise a result before examining the facts.
If you face allegations of theft, fraud, embezzlement, or another financial crime—or have received a subpoena before charges are filed—contact LV Criminal Defense to discuss the circumstances.
Call (702) 623-6362 to request a consultation.
