2. Corporate Fraud and You
Corporate fraud includes an expansive and growing body of law. Congress and state legislatures create laws with one thing in mind and prosecutors then often utilize those laws in ways never initially envisioned. Federal and state RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) statutes serve as perfect examples. Originally created to fight organized crime, these laws became famously stretched to include white-collar crime in the 1980s by then New York US Attorney Rudy Giuliani, and numerous others who followed in his wake.
Further, these laws have led to more bureaucratic agencies that promulgate their own regulations totaling millions of pages. Agencies that include the Federal Trade, Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and numerous others search for violations of their regulations.
People may violate these laws and regulations, despite not having knowledge or intent. Unsuspecting individuals and companies often find themselves in the crosshairs of a government investigation and don’t even see it coming. Without a proactive plan of legal mitigation, a person can unwarily face severe civil and criminal repercussions.
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