Consumers tend to trust large corporations to follow the law and be honest in their business dealings. Perhaps this is because consumers know that if a corporation is dishonest, it will face stiff legal consequences.
However, the threat of legal consequences is not always enough to keep a big company from stepping out of line. Take the recent case involving Volkswagen, for example. The carmaker was accused of lying about its new “clean diesel engine” technology. As it turns out, the diesel engine was not so clean or environmentally-friendly after all.
The lie that hurt Volkswagen’s international reputation
We all remember the much-loved Volkswagen Bug from the 1960s. Like most older cars, however, the Beetle wasn’t so easy on the environment as it belched out carbon emissions that dirtied the airspace. In more recent years, Volkswagen started to clean up its reputation by producing cars that were better for the environment. Its most significant achievement was its supposed clean diesel TDI engine. The problem is, it wasn’t as clean as Volkswagen claimed.
In fact, the automaker knowingly built a global advertising campaign centered around fabricated emissions tests. This enraged the environmentally-conscious consumers who bought the cars based on this false advertising. After news of the lie went public, Volkswagen was hit with countless civil lawsuits. Executives at the company who perpetrated the fraudulent conspiracy are also facing criminal charges.
White collar crime charges can arise out of many situations
These examples are just a few of the ways in which people can find themselves arrested for white collar crimes. These allegations can take a many different forms. For example, someone might commit a white collar crime that involves the diversion of company assets into his or her personal bank account. A lawyer, attorney, doctor or investment broker might commit white collar crimes in connection with the services performed for their clients. Alternatively, a group of individuals involved in a company could conspire to commit white collar crimes together.
Whatever the circumstances of your white collar crime allegations, you can benefit from examining your case closely to formulate a strategic criminal defense.
