White-Collar Crimes


In the state of Montana, white-collar crimes often include offenses such as money laundering, fraud, mortgage fraud, identity theft, bribery, money laundering, and insider trading. These cases can involve accounting irregularities and other issues rarely seen in criminal court.

White-collar crimes are financially motivated nonviolent crimes that are committed by business and government professionals.

Defending against a white-collar crime, particularly at the federal level, is not a task for inexperienced or part-time criminal defenders.

Attorney for White-Collar Crimes in Helena, Montana

If you were arrested for a white-collar crime in the state of Montana, you need to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately to discuss your case. Greg Beebe is an aggressive criminal defense attorney at Beebe Law Firm and understands the severity of white-collar crimes.

White-collar offenses are somber offenses, so contacting the Beebe Law Firm should be the first thing you do after being accused of such a crime. Greg Beebe is ready to represent you if you were charged with a white-collar crime.

Greg Beebe serves residents in Helena in Lewis and Clark County, Boulder in Jefferson County, Missoula in Missoula County, Bozeman Gallatin County, and other surrounding areas in Montana.


Medicaid Fraud

Medicaid is a state-managed health care benefit for qualifying low-income, disabled individuals and children and families. Fraud can be committed by providers or Medicaid members.

Medicaid fraud is an intentional deception or misrepresentation made by an individual with the knowledge that the deception or misrepresentation may result from unauthorized benefit to an individual or some other person. Medicaid fraud includes any actions or inactions that constitute fraud under federal or state law.

“Provider” is a legal term that refers to doctors, hospitals, dentists, clinics, counselors or any other entity that Medicaid pays to serve our members. Medicaid provider fraud occurs when a Medicaid provider knowingly makes or causes to be made, a false or misleading statement or representation for use in obtaining reimbursement from the Medicaid program.

“Member/Client Fraud” consists of the intentional deception or misrepresentation with knowledge the deception could result in some unauthorized benefit to the individual or some other person.


Deceptive Practices/ Deceptive Business Practices

A person commits the offense of deceptive practices when the person purposely or knowingly:

  • causes another, by deception or threat, to execute a document disposing of property or a document by which a pecuniary obligation is incurred;
  • makes or directs another to make a false or deceptive statement addressed to the public or any person for the purpose of promoting or procuring the sale of property or services;
  • makes or directs another to make a false or deceptive statement to any person respecting the financial condition of the person making or directing another to make the statement for the purpose of procuring a loan or credit or accepts a false or deceptive statement from anyone who is attempting to procure a loan or credit regarding that person’s financial condition; or
  • obtains or attempts to obtain property, labor, or services by any of the following means:
    • using a credit card that was issued to another without the other’s consent;
    • using a credit card that has been revoked or canceled;
    • using a credit card that has been falsely made, counterfeited, or altered in any material respect;
    • using the pretended number or description of a fictitious credit card;
    • using a credit card that has expired when the credit card clearly indicates the expiration date.

A person convicted of the offense of deceptive practices shall be fined a maximum of $1,500 or imprisoned for a maximum of 6 months, or both.

If the deceptive practices are part of a common scheme or the value of any property, labor, or services obtained or attempted to be obtained exceeds $1,500, the offender shall be fined a maximum of $50,000 or be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years, or both.


Forgery

A person commits the offense of forgery when with purpose to defraud the person knowingly:

  • without authority makes or alters a document or other object apparently capable of being used to deceive another in a manner that it purports to have been made by another or at another time or with different provisions or of different composition;
  • issues or delivers the document or other object knowing it to have been thus made or altered;
  • possesses with the purpose of issuing or delivering any such document or other object knowing it to have been thus made or altered; or
  • possesses with knowledge of its character any plate, die, or another device, apparatus, equipment, or article specifically designed for use in counterfeiting or otherwise forging written instruments.

A person convicted of the offense of forgery shall be fined a maximum of $1,500 or be imprisoned for a maximum of 6 months, or both.

If the forgery is part of a common scheme or if the value of the property, labor, or services obtained or attempted to be obtained exceeds $1,500, the offender shall be fined a maximum of $50,000 or be imprisoned for a maximum of 20 years, or both.


Identity Theft

In Montana, it is a crime to use someone else’s personal information for your gain. Identity theft involves “stealing” a person’s identifying information and using it to access the victim’s financial accounts or establish new accounts and incur debt in the victim’s name.

A person commits the offense of theft of identity if the person purposely or knowingly obtains personal identifying information of another person and uses that information for any unlawful purpose, including obtaining, or attempting to obtain credit, goods, services, financial information, or medical information in the name of the other person without the consent of the other person.

A person convicted of the offense of theft of identity if no economic benefit was gained, or was attempted to be gained, or if an economic benefit of less than $1,500 was gained or was attempted to be obtained, shall be fined a maximum of $1,500, imprisoned for a maximum of 6 months, or both.

If the victim is a minor, the offender shall be fined a maximum of $3,000, imprisoned for a maximum of 1 year, or both.

A person convicted of the offense of theft of identity if an economic benefit of $1,500 or more was gained, or was attempted to be gained, shall be fined a maximum of $10,000, imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years, or both.

If the victim is a minor, the offender shall be fined a maximum of $20,000, imprisoned for a maximum of 20 years, or both.


Money Laundering

Money laundering can be defined as the concealment of the origins of illegally obtained money, typically utilizing transfers involving foreign banks or legitimate businesses.

A person commits the offense of money laundering if the person knowingly:

  • receives or acquires the proceeds of, or engages in transactions involving proceeds of, any activity that is unlawful under the laws of the United States or the state in which the activity occurred;
  • gives, sells, transfers, trades, invests, conceals, transports, or otherwise makes available anything of value that the person knows intended to be used for the purpose of committing or furthering the commission of any activity that is unlawful under the laws of the United States or the state in which the committing or furthering of the commission of the activity occurs;
  • directs, plans, organizes, initiates, finances, manages, supervises, or facilitates the transportation or transfer of proceeds that the person knows are derived from any activity that is unlawful under the laws of the United States or the state in which the event occurred; or
  • conducts a financial transaction involving proceeds that the person knows are derived from any activity that is unlawful under the laws of the United States or the state in which the event occurred when the transaction is designed in whole or in part to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of the proceeds or to avoid a transaction reporting requirement under federal law.

A person convicted of money laundering shall be fined a maximum of $1,500 or be imprisoned for a maximum of 6 months, or both.

If the money laundering is part of a common scheme or if the value of the proceeds or item of value exceeds $1,500, the person shall be fined a maximum of $50,000 or be imprisoned for a maximum of 20 years, or both.


Additional Resources

Economic Crime Unit – Visit the website of the United States Attorney’s Office to read more about the divisions within Montana’s criminal division. The Economic Crime Unit within the criminal division handles matters such as white-collar crimes.

Montana Crime Statistics – Visit the neighborhood scout website to read about the crime statistics in Montana.


Finding a White-Collar Crime Attorney in Helena, MT

If you were arrested for a white-collar crime in Montana, you should discuss your case with an experienced Montana criminal defense attorney. Greg Beebe at Beebe Law Firm is prepared to assist you, no matter what white-collar crime you face.

Greg Beebe will fight and defend anyone in the State of Montana and residents in Lewis and Clark County, Missoula County, Gallatin County or other Montana communities. His office is conveniently located at 1085 Helena Avenue in Helena, Montana, between Idaho Avenue and North Dakota Avenue. Give him a call today to discuss your case.

Call (406) 442-3300 today.

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