Houston White Collar Crime Lawyer

Health care fraud involves submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurers to illegally obtain money from government and private health programs. This white collar crime includes billing for services not rendered, upcoding procedures, unbundling charges to inflate payments, and accepting or offering illegal kickbacks to providers. Federal agents aggressively investigate these offenses under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729) and Federal Health Care Fraud Statute (18 U.S.C. § 1347), making Medicare fraud cases particularly serious federal crimes. Attorney Jackson provides legal guidance throughout grand jury investigations and trial proceedings.

Securities fraud encompasses illegal activities such as insider trading, stock manipulation, misleading investors, and the falsification of financial statements to deceive shareholders or regulatory agencies. This federal crime also includes operating Ponzi schemes or pyramid schemes that promise unrealistic returns while using new investors’ money to pay earlier participants. Federal prosecutors pursue these white-collar crime charges vigorously in federal court, often resulting in significant criminal liability. Attorney Jackson builds an effective defense strategy by challenging the prosecution’s evidence and examining whether the clients possessed criminal intent.

Mail fraud and wire fraud charges arise when defendants use the U.S. Postal Service or electronic communications, including email, phone, or the internet, to carry out fraudulent schemes. These federal crimes commonly appear in phishing schemes, investment scams, and fraudulent solicitations that cross state lines or involve interstate commerce. Prosecutors often charge mail fraud and wire fraud alongside other white-collar crimes, as these offenses provide broad federal jurisdiction over criminal cases. Defense strategies focus on challenging whether communications were actually used to further any fraudulent means.

Embezzlement occurs when someone misappropriates funds or property entrusted to them, typically by employees, accountants, or corporate officers who abuse their positions. This white collar crime includes skimming cash from registers, creating false invoices to divert company funds, or manipulating financial records to obtain money for personal use. While embezzlement can be prosecuted under state law in Texas, larger cases involving federal institutions or programs become federal crimes. Attorney Jackson examines whether clients had legitimate access to funds and whether any misunderstanding occurred regarding authorization.

Money laundering involves concealing the origins of illegally obtained money through various financial transactions designed to make criminal proceeds appear legitimate. Defendants structure transactions to avoid reporting thresholds, use shell companies to obscure ownership, or transfer funds through offshore accounts across state lines. Federal agents investigate money laundering as a separate federal crime, often charged alongside the underlying offense that generated the illegal funds. Attorney Jackson challenges the government’s tracing of funds and questions whether clients knew the money originated from illegal activities.

Tax evasion and tax fraud charges result from deliberately failing to report income, inflating deductions, hiding money in offshore accounts, or filing false tax returns with the IRS. The federal government pursues these white collar crime charges aggressively, viewing tax evasion as theft from public funds that support government operations. Criminal liability extends to those who assist others in evading taxes, including accountants and financial advisors who enable fraudulent schemes. Attorney Jackson examines whether errors were the result of negligence rather than criminal intent, and negotiates with prosecutors to secure favorable outcomes.

Bribery involves offering or receiving anything of value to influence official actions, whether involving government officials or private business decisions. This white-collar crime includes public corruption cases in which officials accept payments in exchange for awarding contracts or granting favorable treatment. Both federal and state law prohibit bribery, with federal cases typically involving interstate commerce or federal programs. Defense strategy often focuses on distinguishing legitimate business expenses and gifts from illegal inducements.

Forgery charges arise from the falsification of documents such as checks, contracts, identification papers, or official records with the intent to defraud another party. This white-collar crime can be prosecuted as a state law offense or escalated to a federal crime when forged documents cross state lines or involve federal agencies. A criminal conviction for forgery can damage a professional reputation and result in the loss of a professional license in regulated industries. Attorney Jackson challenges the prosecution’s handwriting analysis, questions authentication procedures, and examines whether the clients had the authority to sign the disputed documents.