In our Missouri-based law firm, we are often surprised at how casually people view allegations of their involvement in white collar crimes. This is especially so when the accused is innocent of these allegations. We want you to know that any and all allegations of white collar crime involvement require a serious and immediate response, even if you are innocent of these accusations.
To help you understand why we suggest a serious approach to defense, we have put together a short list of famous people who incurred penalties for their alleged involvement in white collar crimes.
Lauryn Hill: Singer and former member of The Fugees, Hill received a sentence of three months prison time for tax evasion in 2012. Although released a few days early from prison, she continued to experience legal difficulties related to nonpayment of taxes.
Leona Helmsley: This infamous case of tax evasion made national headlines in the late 1980s. Helmsley, a wealthy hotelier, incurred a four-year prison sentence along with an order to serve 750 hours of community service for her white collar crimes. The authorities released her from prison early, but she got into trouble again by having employees perform her community service obligations.
Martha Stewart: You may know her as a cook, baker and all-around expert on all things home, but Martha Stewart received a conviction for insider trading in 2004. She served five months of her two-year prison sentence before her release.
As you can see, even rich and famous people face severe consequences for a criminal conviction. We hope this post will inspire you to take any charges filed against you seriously. You can learn more about the consequences of white collar crime convictions by continuing to explore our web resources.
