Fraud, Embezzlement and Financial Crimes
Former Prosecutors Who Know How to Confront the Charges
The term "white collar crime" refers to serious but non-violent offenses involving ill-gotten financial gains. Defendants are often executives, business owners, professionals or employees in position to access funds or defraud others. The amount of money stolen from the company or lost by victims is usually in the thousands of dollars, sometimes hundreds of thousands.
Since the Enron scandal and other high-profile cases, lawmakers in Florida and nationwide have enacted new laws and dedicated more resources to prosecuting white collar crimes. The days of "Club Fed" or slap-on-the-wrist sentences are gone. Now there are long terms in state prison with mandatory minimums.
Early Intervention Can Make a Difference
If you have been arrested, indicted by a grand jury or suspect you are under investigation, contact us immediately. The Law Offices of Timothy Hessinger, P.A. emphasizes pre-filing interaction with county, state or federal prosecutors to get charges dismissed in unfounded cases, or to impact charging decisions so that our clients face less severe felonies or even misdemeanors.
Our St. Petersburg, Florida criminal defense trial lawyers handle the full range of white collar offenses, both state and federal crimes:
- Embezzlement
- Misappropriation of client funds
- Corporate malfeasance
- Grand theft
- Investment scams
- Consumer fraud
- Insurance fraud
- Mortgage fraud and bank fraud
Experience That Counts
Tim Hessinger and Donald Kilfin prosecuted financial crimes during their combined 21 years in the Pinellas County State Attorney's Office. They know the resources the government has, their timelines and tactics for building a case. They also know the weak links in these prosecutions — dependence on ambiguous financial documents, intercepted communications or the testimony of others who were implicated. They also have the ability to sort through the massive paper trail and find the elements of a viable defense.
Damage Control
We understand that even the allegations of a white collar crime can be career-ending. We understand that the client's reputation in his or her business community may be just as important as the outcome of the criminal case. Tim Hessinger has had many cases that attracted significant media attention. His ability to work with the media to minimize the negative attention on his clients is yet another cog in our multi-faceted representation.
It is important that if you have been charged with a white collar crime or think that indictment is imminent that you obtain competent counsel with the skills and professional experience to guide you through the rigors of the investigation.
You can contact the Law Offices of Timothy Hessinger by e-mail or call our St. Petersburg office at (727) 896-1501.
