White Collar Crime Convictions for March 2007
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during March 2007 the government reported 674 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 10.7% 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.
See more...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 2007 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was only slightlydown (-0.8 percent). 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 9.4 percent from levels reported in 2002.
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. 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.
Within the broad category of white collar crime, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.
Case types within white collar crime are
• Fraud-Federal Procurement
• Fraud-Federal Program
• Fraud-Tax
• Fraud-Arson for Profit
• Fraud-Other Insurance
• Fraud-Financial Institution
• Fraud-Bankruptcy
• Fraud-Advance Fee Schemes
• Fraud-Other Business
• Fraud-Consumer
• Fraud-Securities
• Fraud-Commodities
• Fraud-Other Investment
• Antitrust-Other
• Fraud-Computer
• Fraud-Health Care
• Fraud-Against Ins. Provider
• Fraud-Insider Ins. Provider
• Fraud-MEWA/MET
• Antitrust-Airlines
• Antitrust-Banking
• Antitrust-Defense Procurement
• Antitrust-Extraterritorial
• Antitrust-Other Finance Mkts.
• Fraud-Telemarketing
• Fraud-Corporate
• Fraud-Other
The largest number of convictions of these matters in March 2007 was for "Fraud-Financial Institution", accounting for 23.9 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Federal Program" (13.5%), "Fraud-Other" (13.4%) , "Fraud-Other Business" (12%), "Fraud-Tax" (8.5%), "Fraud-Health Care" (7%), "Fraud-Computer" (5.2%), "Fraud-Corporate" (3.4%), "Fraud-Consumer" (2.5%), "Fraud-Bankruptcy" (2.1%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in March 2007 was FBI accounting for 42 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: SecServ (15% ), IRS (10%), Postal (8%), DHS (5%). See Figure 3.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In March 2007, 1 percent of white collar crime cases for these matters took place in U.S. Magistrate Courts which handle less serious misdemeanor cases, including what are called "petty offenses." In the magistrate courts in March the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1030 involving the "Fraud and related activity - computers". This was the lead charge for 33.3 percent of all magistrate convictions in March.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts
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 March 2007.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1344 - Bank fraud 100 1 1 1 More 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 92 2 2 2 More 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 48 3 4 6 More 18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 43 4 5 4 More 18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 36 5 7 12 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 34 6 3 3 More 18 USC 1001 - Fraud/false statements or entries generally 26 7 10 11 More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 24 8 11 7 More 18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 23 9 6 10 More 26 USC 7201 - Attempt to evade or defeat tax 21 10 12 9 More
Table 2: Top charges for convictions
"Bank fraud" (18 U.S.C Section 1344) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. This statute was also ranked 1st a year ago as well as five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341. This statute was also ranked 2nd a year ago as well as five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Fraud by wire, radio, or television" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343. This statute was ranked 4th a year ago, while it was the 6th most frequently invoked 5 years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions—up 50 percent—compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 641 that involves " Public money, property or records ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase—94 percent—was registered for convictions under " Fraud and related activity - id documents " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1028 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago—down 36.7 percent—was Health Care Fraud (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions— 26.3 percent—was for convictions where the lead charge was " Bank fraud " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1344 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In March 2007 the Justice Department said the government obtained 273 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 Mo, E 1,133 27 1 15 22 More Tenn, W 942 12 2 19 25 More Miss, S 860 13 3 34 36 More Fla, S 768 41 4 2 4 More Nevada 720 14 5 28 28 More Ken, W 695 12 6 63 54 More Ga, S 694 8 7 84 83 More Ark, E 543 7 8 47 24 More Ken, E 463 8 9 55 67 More Iowa, N 457 5 10 67 67 More
Table 3: Top 10 districts (per ten million people)
Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis)—with 1133 convictions as compared with 273 convictions per ten million population in the United States—was the most active during March 2007. The district's position last year was 15th. Five years ago, the district's position was 22.
Western District of Tennessee (Memphis) ranked 2nd. This marked a rise from Tennessee West's 19thplace ranking just one year ago. Five years ago, the district's position was 25.
Southern District of Mississippi (Jackson) is now ranking 3rd. It moved up in its rankings from a year ago when it ranked 34th. Five years ago, the district's position was 36.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis), now ranked 1st , and Western District of Tennessee (Memphis) at 2nd In the same order, these districts ranked 15th and 19th one year ago and 22nd and 25th 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— 312.5 percent—was Southern District of Georgia (Savannah). This was the same district that had the largest increase— 312.5 %—when compared with five years ago.
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime convictions— 50 percent—was Northern District of Iowa (Cedar Rapids). But over the past five years, Eastern District of Arkansas (Little Rock) showed the largest drop— 63.3 percent.
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 March 2007 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Cooke, Marcia G. Fla, S 10 1 More Carter, David O. Cal, C 9 2 More Limbaugh, Stephen Nathaniel Mo, E 8 3 More Bowen, Dudley Hollingsworth Jr Ga, S 7 4 More Starrett, Keith Miss, S 7 4 More Jones, Robert Clive Nevada 7 4 More Anderson, Percy Cal, C 6 7 More Martone, Frederick J. Arizona 5 8 More Dimitrouleas, William P. Fla, S 5 8 More Martinez, Jose E. Fla, S 5 8 More Duffey, William S. Jr. Ga, N 5 8 More Frank, Donovan W. Minnesota 5 8 More Perry, Catherine D. Mo, E 5 8 More Voorhees, Richard Lesley N Car, W 5 8 More Herlong, Henry Michael Jr. S Car 5 8 More Schneider, Michael H. Sr. Texas, E 5 8 More
Table 4: Top 10 judges
A total of 8 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 8 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 16 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Marcia G. Cooke in the Southern District of Florida (Miami) ranked 1st with 10 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Judge David O. Carter in the Central District of California (Los Angeles) ranked 2nd with 9 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Judge Stephen Nathaniel Limbaugh in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) ranked 3rd with 8 new white collar crime convictions.
