White collar prosecutions in Texas and the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas turn on document discovery volume, accounting forensics, and the prosecution's ability to prove intent. The defense work is research-heavy: parallel grand jury practice, immunity negotiations, attorney-client privilege fights over corporate counsel communications, and Rule 16/discovery management of terabyte-scale productions.
L and L Law Group, PLLC defends individuals and small-business owners facing federal wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, money laundering, and Texas state theft, theft of services, and money laundering allegations. We take cases at the target letter stage and through sentencing, with experience in sentencing-guideline mitigation, restitution negotiation, and proffer-letter strategy.
Embezzlement Defense
Read more →Fraud Defense
Read more →Money Laundering Defense
Read more →Theft Defense
Read more →Election Fraud Defense
Tex. Elec. Code Ch. 276 election-fraud prosecutions — post-Stephens AG-versus-DA charging-authority defenses on the front of the timeline.
Read more →Federal bank fraud defense
Federal bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1344 — up to 30 years in BOP and content=
Read more →Federal computer fraud defense
Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) defense under 18 U.S.C.
Read more →Texas credit card abuse defense
Texas credit card abuse defense under Penal Code § 32.31 — state-jail felony at every grade, 10 acts under § 32.31(b), federal § 1029.
Read more →Federal cryptocurrency fraud defense
Federal cryptocurrency fraud — wire fraud, money laundering, unlicensed MSB, Howey-test securities exposure, IEEPA sanctions, and DOJ NCET.
Read more →Texas forgery defense
Texas forgery defense under Penal Code § 32.21 — Class A to second-degree felony. Intent-to-defraud, writing definition, federal § 471.
Read more →Federal healthcare fraud defense
Federal healthcare fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1347 — up to 10 years; 20 years if serious bodily injury; LIFE if death results. Frisco TX.
Read more →Federal & Texas mortgage fraud defense
Mortgage fraud is not a standalone federal statute — it is prosecuted under a charging stack of bank fraud (§ 1344).
Read more →PPP Loan Fraud Defense
Federal PPP loan fraud defense under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1014, 1343, 1344 + CARES Act. PPP/EIDL Strike Force prosecutions, 10-year SOL, USSG §.
Read more →Prescription drug fraud defense
Federal and Texas prescription drug fraud defense — § 841 controlled-substance distribution, § 843(a)(3) acquire-by-deception, Ruan v.
Read more →Federal securities fraud defense
Federal securities fraud under 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b) and SEC Rule 10b-5 — insider trading, misrepresentation, and § 1348 securities &.
Read more →Federal tax evasion defense
Federal tax evasion under 26 U.S.C. § 7201 — felony with up to 5 years and content=
Read more →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be charged with white-collar fraud without being arrested first?+
Yes — federal white-collar defendants are typically indicted by a grand jury and receive a summons to appear at arraignment rather than an arrest warrant, particularly when the defendant has counsel and the agent believes voluntary surrender is likely. Texas state white-collar cases similarly may proceed by indictment and summons under CCP Article 23.04.
What is a "target letter" and what should I do if I receive one?+
A target letter is formal notice from the U.S. Attorney's Office that you are the target of a grand jury investigation — meaning the prosecutor has substantial evidence linking you to a crime. Do not respond directly. Do not contact witnesses. Do not destroy or alter records. Call counsel the same day. The target letter is an opportunity to negotiate before indictment, not a fatal blow.
Should I cooperate with investigators if they call?+
No, not without counsel. Anything you say can be used against you, and informal interviews routinely produce 18 U.S.C. § 1001 false-statement charges separate from the underlying investigation. Decline the interview politely, take the agent's card, and have counsel reach out. A subsequent counsel-supervised proffer (with a written proffer letter limiting use) is the safe way to share information when cooperation has strategic value.
Will I lose my professional license if convicted?+
Often yes. Medical licenses are subject to Texas Medical Board action under Occupations Code § 164.057 for crimes involving moral turpitude. Texas Bar discipline is governed by Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure. CPAs face Public Accountancy Act revocation. Most professional boards treat felony convictions involving dishonesty as presumptively disqualifying. Mitigation work begins long before sentencing.
How long do federal white-collar cases take?+
Federal white-collar cases routinely run 18 months to 3 years from indictment to disposition. Pre-charge investigations can run 1–4 years. The discovery volume — terabytes of documents, multi-million-record databases, and dozens of witnesses — is the principal driver of the timeline.
Will restitution be part of a fraud case resolution?+
Usually, yes. Texas courts may order restitution under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 42.037 as part of the judgment or as a condition of supervision, and in federal court the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3663A, makes restitution mandatory for most fraud offenses with identifiable victims. The loss-and-restitution math often drives the negotiation more than the charge label does.
Speak Directly With a Texas Criminal Defense Attorney
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What is texas and federal white-collar fraud defense under Texas law?
Elements the State must prove
Every white-collar defense charge is built on statutory elements. The State carries the burden on each element beyond a reasonable doubt under Penal Code § 2.01. Defense work begins by identifying which element the State will struggle to prove on this case’s record.
- For theft under Penal Code § 31.03: (1) unlawfully (2) appropriates property (3) with intent to deprive the owner.
- For credit-card or debit-card abuse under § 32.31: (1) with intent to defraud (2) uses the card knowing it is not the holder's.
- For computer crime under § 33.02: knowingly accesses a computer, network, or system without effective consent.
- For federal wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343: (1) scheme to defraud (2) intent to defraud (3) use of interstate wire (4) in furtherance.
- For mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1341: scheme + intent + use of U.S. mail or private interstate carrier in furtherance.
- For federal money laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956: financial transaction with knowledge that funds were proceeds of a specified unlawful activity.
Penalty range matrix
The exposure on a white-collar defense case depends on the specific subsection, the alleged conduct, and any enhancement allegations. The table below captures the principal charge tiers we see.
| Offense | Statute | Level | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theft < $100 | § 31.03(e)(1) | Class C misdemeanor | up to $500 |
| Theft $100–$750 | § 31.03(e)(2) | Class B misdemeanor | up to 180 days + $2,000 |
| Theft $2,500–$30,000 | § 31.03(e)(4) | State jail felony | 180 days – 2 years SJ + $10,000 |
| Theft $30,000–$150,000 | § 31.03(e)(5) | 3rd-degree felony | 2–10 years TDCJ + $10,000 |
| Theft $150,000–$300,000 | § 31.03(e)(6) | 2nd-degree felony | 2–20 years TDCJ + $10,000 |
| Theft ≥ $300,000 | § 31.03(e)(7) | 1st-degree felony | 5–99 years or life + $10,000 |
| Federal wire fraud | 18 U.S.C. § 1343 | Federal felony | up to 20 years (30 if financial inst.) |
| Federal mail fraud | 18 U.S.C. § 1341 | Federal felony | up to 20 years (30 if financial inst.) |
| Aggravated identity theft | 18 U.S.C. § 1028A | Federal felony | 2-year consecutive minimum |
| Federal money laundering | 18 U.S.C. § 1956 | Federal felony | up to 20 years + fines |
How the cases come up — hypothetical scenarios
These scenarios illustrate how white-collar defense charges arise in DFW criminal practice. They are illustrative only and do not describe any specific client or outcome.
- A defendant facing a 25-count federal wire-fraud indictment from a multi-year investigation. Loss-amount calculation at USSG § 2B1.1 drives the sentencing exposure.
- A defendant charged with aggregated theft under Penal Code § 31.09 — multiple separate thefts aggregated to reach a higher felony tier.
- A defendant indicted on healthcare fraud after a federal investigation by HHS-OIG and the U.S. Attorney. Loss amount, role analysis, and parallel civil False Claims Act exposure under 31 U.S.C. § 3729.
- A defendant facing federal securities fraud under 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b) after an SEC investigation. Parallel criminal and civil proceedings.
- A defendant charged under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A aggravated identity theft — the 2-year mandatory consecutive sentence often drives plea negotiations.
- A defendant facing tax evasion under 26 U.S.C. § 7201 after an IRS-CI investigation. Civil tax liability runs parallel and is not discharged by criminal resolution.
- A defendant charged with credit-card abuse under Penal Code § 32.31 after a fraud-protection unit referral. Aggregation rules under § 31.09 may apply.
Common defenses
White-Collar Defense defense draws on constitutional, statutory, and evidence-based theories. The mix of available defenses depends on the specific charge, the State’s evidence, and the procedural posture.
What to do if you’re charged — five steps
The first 72 hours after an arrest or charging decision shape the case. The five steps below are the framework our partners apply on every new white-collar defense retainer.
FBI, SEC, IRS-CI, HHS-OIG, Postal Inspectors, and state attorney-general investigators routinely conduct pre-indictment interviews. Statements are evidence; 18 U.S.C. § 1001 creates additional exposure for false statements.
Initiate document and email preservation. Civil and regulatory parallel proceedings (SEC, FINRA, FTC) require careful coordination to avoid Fifth Amendment waiver.
White-collar matters often resolve pre-indictment through deferred prosecution agreements (federal) or grand-jury diversion (state). Pre-indictment defense is the highest-leverage phase.
Federal loss calculation at USSG § 2B1.1 drives sentencing. Defense work disputes the loss base, the role enhancement, and the relevant-conduct period.
MVRA restitution under 18 U.S.C. § 3663A and criminal forfeiture under 21 U.S.C. § 853 can dwarf the prison-term exposure. Parallel civil settlement can offset criminal restitution.
Collateral consequences
A conviction or even a deferred-adjudication finding can carry consequences beyond the sentence itself. The list below identifies the most common collateral exposures for white-collar defense matters.
- MVRA restitution under 18 U.S.C. § 3663A — full loss amount, joint and several with co-defendants
- Criminal forfeiture under 21 U.S.C. § 853 — substitute assets if traceable assets are unavailable
- Civil False Claims Act exposure under 31 U.S.C. § 3729 — treble damages plus penalties
- SEC, FINRA, FTC, OFAC, OCC parallel proceedings
- Professional-licensing revocation in regulated industries
- Federal program debarment under 2 C.F.R. § 180
- Federal contracting and SAM listing impacts
- Tax liability for unreported income is not discharged by criminal resolution
- Loss of voting and firearm rights on any felony conviction
Related practice areas, calculators, and resources
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