Mere allegations of a white-collar crime offense can crater your reputation and put you at risk of facing serious penalties, including an extensive period of incarceration. That can leave you nervous about the future if you’ve come under investigation, but laying the foundation of your criminal defense now might help put your mind at ease and put you in a position where you’re able to beat the prosecution.
That defense starts with avoiding mistakes that could cost you your freedom. So, let’s look at some commonly made mistakes that could put you and your criminal defense in peril so that you know what you need to avoid as you navigate your case moving forward.
Mistakes to avoid in your white-collar criminal case
A lot of people who are accused of white-collar crimes don’t slow down enough to think about how their actions can come back to bite them in their criminal case. Don’t make that mistake. Instead, be aware of these commonly made mistakes so that you can avoid them:
- Consenting to a search of your home, business, or car since this could hand over evidence to investigators that they otherwise might not be able to obtain.
- Talking to family members and friends about the investigation and any subsequently filed case, as prosecutors can then subpoena these individuals to testify against you.
- Destroying evidence, which constitutes a new crime and makes you look even more guilty.
- Keeping information from your criminal defense attorney, thereby leaving them susceptible to surprise in your case and thus increase the risk of being damaged by the evidence presented.
Build an aggressive criminal defense to your white-collar crime case
What seems like a minor slipup in your criminal case could wind up leading to your conviction. So, be careful as you navigate the investigation and your criminal defense. And recognize that it’s never too early to seek out assistance with your case. By thinking through your actions and seeking out the help you need, you might be able to build the effective white-collar crime defense needed to shield yourself from the penalties sought by prosecutors.