It is not only those moving in the circles of the rich who can find themselves accused of white collar crimes. A variety of white collar crimes charges are regularly brought against citizens from all walks of life. Those who are unfamiliar with the legal process may unknowingly damage their cases if they try to navigate their own defenses.
A 40-year-old man from South Carolina is accused of defrauding residents of Malcolm. During a recent court hearing, the man was charged with several counts of theft by deception and attempted theft by deception. According to court documents, the accused man allegedly quoted residents for the paving of their driveways, and then he demanded higher prices upon completion. Residents claimed that the inflated prices were significantly higher than the initial quotes.
It is alleged that the amount involved in the alleged thefts totals approximately $37,000. If the accused man is convicted on these charges, it was reported that he could be sentenced to incarceration for 26 years. However, any person who is accused of a crime remains innocent until — and if — the prosecution has proved guilt on the charges.
In prosecuting white collar crimes, the key element is to prove intent to deprive and defraud. Any South Carolina resident who is accused of white collar crimes may benefit from retaining the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney. A lawyer can present the accused individual’s side of the story, and a lawyer will work to show a business transaction was legitimate with no intention to defraud or deceive or achieve personal gain from the alleged criminal actions.
Source: journalstar.com, “Man charged in driveway paving scam“, Aug. 10, 2015