White Collar Crime Convictions for July 2017

Number Latest Month 489
Percent Change from previous month 18.7
Percent Change from 1 year ago -9.6
Percent Change from 5 years ago
(Including Magistrate Court)
-25.4
Percent Change from 5 years ago
(Excluding Magistrate Court)
-23.8
Table 1. Criminal White Collar Crime Convictions

The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during July 2017 the government reported 489 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 18.7 percent over the previous month.

White Collar Crime

This report summarizes the government's recent efforts when it comes to combating white collar crime — the number of such cases, the investigative agencies involved, the laws cited, the busiest federal districts and the busiest federal judges.

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The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for white collar crime-related offenses are based on case-by-case information obtained by TRAC under the Freedom of Information Act from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (see Table 1).

When monthly 2017 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-9.6%). Convictions over the past year are still much lower than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are down 25.4 percent from levels reported in 2012.

The decrease from the levels five years ago in white collar crime convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of white collar crime convictions of this type recorded on a month-to-month basis. Where a prosecution was initially filed in U.S. Magistrate Court and then transferred to the U.S. District Court, the magistrate filing date was used since this provides an earlier indicator of actual trends. The superimposed line on the bars plots the six-month moving average so that natural fluctuations are smoothed out. The one and five-year rates of change in Table 1 and in the sections that follow are all based upon this six-month moving average. To view trends year-by-year rather than month-by-month, see TRAC's annual report series for a broader picture.

Bar and line plot of FYMON

Figure 1. Monthly Trends in White Collar Crime Convictions

Within the broad category of white collar crime, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.

Case types within white collar crime are

Federal Procurement Fraud Federal Program Fraud
Tax Fraud Arson for Profit
Other Insurance Fraud Financial Institution Fraud
Bankruptcy Fraud Advance Fee Schemes
Other Fraud Against Businesses Consumer Fraud
Securities Fraud Commodities Fraud
Other Investment Fraud Antitrust Violations - Other
Computer Fraud Health Care Fraud
Fraud Against Insurance Providers Intellectual Property Violations
Insider Fraud Against Insurance Providers MEWA (Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements) Fraud/MET
Antitrust Violations - Airlines Antitrust Violations - Banking
Antitrust Violations - Defense Procurement Antitrust Violations - Extraterritorial Application Of
Antitrust Violations - Finance Markets, Other than Banking Telemarketing Fraud
Corporate Fraud Identity Theft
Aggravated Identity Theft Other White Collar Crime/Fraud

The largest number of convictions of these matters in July 2017 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 21.5 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Tax" (14.9%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (11%), "Fraud-Federal Program" (10.4%), "Fraud-Health Care" (8.4%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (8.2%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (6.3%), "Fraud-Other Business" (6.3%), "Fraud-Computer" (2.9%), "Fraud-Other Investment" (2.9%), "Fraud-Mortgage" (2%). See Figure 2.

The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in July 2017 was FBI accounting for 31 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: IRS (18% ), SecServ (10%), Postal (8%), DHS (8%). See Figure 3.

Pie chart of progcatlabel

Figure 2. Specific Types of Convictions
Pie chart of agenrevgrp

Figure 3. Convictions by Investigative Agency

White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts

Top Ranked Lead Charges

In July 2017, 7 defendants in white collar crime cases for these matters were filed in U.S. Magistrate Courts. These courts handle less serious misdemeanor cases, including what are called "petty offenses." In addition, complaints are sometimes filed in the magistrate courts before an indictment or information is entered. In these cases, the matter starts in the magistrate courts and later moves to the district court where subsequent proceedings take place.

In the magistrate courts in July the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1028 involving "Aggravated Identity Theft". This was the lead charge for 100 percent of all magistrate convictions in July.

White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts

In July 2017, 482 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during July there were an additional 0 defendants whose cases moved from the magistrate courts to the U.S. district courts after an indictment or information was filed. The sections which follow cover both sets of cases and therefore cover all matters filed in district court during July.

Top Ranked Lead Charges

Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of white collar crime matters filed in U.S. District Court during July 2017.

Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago  
18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 74 1 1 2 More
18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 35 2 6 4 More
18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 31 3 7 3 More
18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 30 4 4 7 More
18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 30 4 2 5 More
18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 29 6 3 1 More
18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 28 7 8 6 More
18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 23 8 5 8 More
18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 19 9 10 9 More
26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements 18 10 8 10 More
Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions

  • "Fraud by wire, radio, or television" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Fraud by wire, radio, or television" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.

  • Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 371. "Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 371 was ranked 6 a year ago, while it was ranked 4 five years ago.

  • Ranked 3rd was "Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341. "Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341 was ranked 7 a year ago, while it was ranked 3 five years ago.

Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 15.7 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347 that involves " Health Care Fraud ". This was the same statute that had the largest increase — 27 % — when compared with five years ago.

Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 25.8 percent — was " Fraud and related activity - access devices " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1029 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 56.2 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Bank Fraud " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1344 ).

Top Ranked Judicial Districts

In July 2017 the Justice Department said the government obtained 180 white collar crime convictions for every ten million people in the United States.

Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of white collar crime convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.

The districts registering the largest number of convictions per capita for these matters last month are shown in Table 3. Districts must have at least 5 white collar crime convictions to receive a ranking.


Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago  
Fla, S 580 35 1 1 1 More
Ind, N 557 12 2 43 45 More
Miss, S 512 8 3 69 32 More
Ill, S 473 5 4 52 59 More
Iowa, S 468 7 5 75 66 More
La, W 443 8 6 42 36 More
N Car, E 425 14 7 35 47 More
Mo, E 409 10 8 7 5 More
Okla, W 399 7 9 25 37 More
La, E 359 5 10 33 51 More
Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)

  • The Southern District of Florida (Miami) — with 580 convictions as compared with 180 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during July 2017. The Southern District of Florida (Miami) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 for most frequent use five years ago.

  • The Northern District of Indiana (South Bend) ranked 2nd.

  • Southern District of Mississippi (Jackson) is now ranking 3rd.

Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Western District of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), now ranked 9th , and Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans) at 10th In the same order, these districts ranked 25th and 33rd one year ago and 37th and 51st five years ago.

The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of white collar crime convictions compared to one year ago — 107.7 percent — was Southern District of Mississippi (Jackson). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 20.7 percent — was Eastern District of North Carolina (Raleigh).

In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime convictions — 56.1 percent — was Western District of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City).  This was the same district that had the largest increase — 51.4 percent — when compared with five years ago.

Top Ranked District Judges

At any one time, there are about 680 federal District Court judges working in the United States. The judges recorded with the largest number of new white collar crime crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during July 2017 are shown in Table 4.

Judge Count Rank  
Dever, James C., III N Car, E 7 1 More
Merryday, Steven Douglas Fla, M 6 2 More
Lenard, Joan A. Fla, S 6 2 More
Burrell, Garland Ellis, Jr. Cal, E 5 4 More
Nunley, Troy Lynne Cal, E 5 4 More
Maloney, Paul Lewis Mich, W 5 4 More
White, Ronnie Lee Mo, E 5 4 More
Arleo, Madeline C. N. J. 5 4 More
Jones, James Parker Virg, W 5 4 More
Covington, Virginia Maria Hernandez Fla, M 4 10 More
Rodgers, Margaret Catharine Fla, N 4 10 More
Seabright, J[ohn] Michael Hawaii 4 10 More
Jarvey, John Alfred Iowa, S 4 10 More
Flanagan, Louise W. N Car, E 4 10 More
Walls, William H. N. J. 4 10 More
Lee, Gerald Bruce Virg, E 4 10 More
Table 4. Top Ten Judges

A total of 5 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of white collar crime convictions per capita, while the remaining 11 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 16 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)

  • Judge James C. Dever, III in the Eastern District of North Carolina (Raleigh) ranked 1st with 7 convicted in white collar crime convictions.

  • Judges Steven Douglas Merryday in the Middle District of Florida (Tampa) and Joan A. Lenard in the Southern District of Florida (Miami) ranked 2nd with 6 convicted in white collar crime convictions.

Report Generated: August 31, 2017
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