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Who commits white-collar crimes?

On Behalf of | Mar 6, 2023 | White Collar Crimes

A recent report into white-collar crime statistics sheds light on some interesting figures.

Here are a few that are particularly worthy of consideration.

Certain segments of society commit these crimes more than others do

93% of people convicted of white-collar crimes are male and 75% of white-collar offenders are white males. This statistic likely relates, at least in part, to white males being more represented in the financial industry and positions of financial responsibility as a whole.

Increased responsibility may lead to increased temptation

You might assume that people are less likely to take silly risks when they have a family and a house to think about. Yet the evidence shows that 50% of convictions involve people who own a home and 63% of offenders are married.

You might also have thought that it is mainly young employees trying to exploit unsuspecting bosses who do not fully understand technology. Or lower-ranked employees embittered about not making their way up the ranks. Yet of those crimes committed by someone within a particular company, half are committed by middle or senior management.

Money pressures may play a role

The report found that 42% of those who are caught and convicted of white-collar crime lived beyond their means and 26% had financial problems. This evidence suggests that they may have fallen for the temptation of apparently easy money to ease their woes.

How do these crimes get discovered?

Tips off are the biggest reason frauds are detected, with half of these originating from other employees, 22% from customers and 15% reporting anonymously.

While it takes 14 months to detect the average white-collar crime, and one-third are not detected for at least three years, investigations can move fast once they are underway. So, if you suspect that the authorities may include you in an investigation, seek urgent legal help to understand how best to protect your rights and freedom.

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