White Collar Crime Convictions for May 2014

Number Latest Month 558
Percent Change from previous month -14.2
Percent Change from 1 year ago 3.7
Percent Change from 5 years ago (Including Magistrate Court) 4.0
Percent Change from 5 years ago (Excluding Magistrate Court) 12.3
Table 1. Criminal White Collar Crime Convictions

The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during May 2014 the government reported 558 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is down 14.2 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 2014 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was up (3.7%). Convictions over the past year are still much higher than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are up 4 percent from levels reported in 2009.

The leveling out 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 May 2014 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 13.3 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Financial Institution" (12.9%), "Fraud-Federal Program" (12.5%), " Fraud-Tax" (10.8%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (8.2%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (7.9%), "Fraud-Health Care" (7%), "Fraud-Mortgage" (6.8%), "Fraud-Other Business" (6.3%), "Fraud-Computer" (2.5%), "Fraud-Other Investment" (2.3%), "Fraud-Consumer " (2.2%), "Fraud-Securities" (2.2%). See Figure 2.

The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in May 2014 was FBI accounting for 31 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: IRS (14% ), SecServ (13%), DHS (10%), Postal (9%). 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 May 2014, 28 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 May the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1028 involving "Aggravated Identity Theft". This was the lead charge for 57.1 percent of all magistrate convictions in May.

Other frequently prosecuted lead charges include: "18 USC 1546 - Fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents" (21.4%).

White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts

In May 2014, 530 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during May 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 May.

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 May 2014.

Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago  
18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 64 1 3 2 More
18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 59 2 2 1 More
18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 55 3 1 5 More
18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 42 4 4 3 More
18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 42 4 5 7 More
18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 27 6 9 4 More
18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 27 6 6 6 More
18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 26 8 8 15 More
18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 20 9 6 8 More
26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements 14 10 10 9 More
Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions

  • "Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341) was ranked 3 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.

  • Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Bank Fraud" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1344. "Bank Fraud" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1344 was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.

  • Ranked 3rd was "Fraud by wire, radio, or television" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343. "Fraud by wire, radio, or television" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343 was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 5 five years ago.

Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 18.1 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1028 that involves " Fraud and related activity - id documents ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 215.9 percent — was registered for convictions under " Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1349 ).

Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 9.8 percent — was " Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 18.5 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Fraud and related activity - id documents " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1028 ).

Top Ranked Judicial Districts

In May 2014 the Justice Department said the government obtained 202.6 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  
Wash, E 1,100 14 1 76 72 More
N. Y., S 745 32 2 5 2 More
S Dakota 720 5 3 73 61 More
Ala, S 719 5 4 23 56 More
Okla, N 700 6 5 88 57 More
Tenn, M 620 12 6 59 72 More
Penn, E 601 29 7 4 7 More
Fla, S 554 32 8 1 1 More
Ala, N 549 13 9 18 35 More
Fla, N 473 7 10 46 72 More
Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)

  • The Eastern District of Washington (Spokane) — with 1100 convictions as compared with 202.6 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during May 2014.

  • The Southern District of New York (Manhattan) ranked 2nd. The Southern District of New York (Manhattan) was ranked 5 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 for most frequent use five years ago.

  • District of South Dakota is now ranking 3rd.

Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Northern District of Alabama (Birmingham), now ranked 9th , and Southern District of Alabama (Mobile) at 4th In the same order, these districts ranked 18th and 23rd one year ago and 35th and 56th 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 — 400 percent — was Eastern District of Washington (Spokane). This was the same district that had the largest increase — 328.6 percent — 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 — 15.6 percent — was Southern District of Florida (Miami).  But over the past five years, South Dakota showed the largest drop — 33.3 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 May 2014 are shown in Table 4.

Judge Count Rank  
Delgado-Colon, Aida M. Puer Rico 11 1 More
Sharp, Kevin Hunter Tenn, M 9 2 More
Leinenweber, Harry Daniel Ill, N 7 3 More
Zloch, William J. Fla, S 6 4 More
Shea, Edward F. Wash, E 6 4 More
Suko, Lonny R. Wash, E 6 4 More
Moody, James S., Jr. Fla, M 5 7 More
Scola, Robert Nichols, Jr. Fla, S 5 7 More
Robart, James L. Wash, W 5 7 More
Hopkins, Virginia Emerson Ala, N 4 10 More
Granade, Callie V. Ala, S 4 10 More
Antoon, John, II Fla, M 4 10 More
Rodgers, Margaret Catharine Fla, N 4 10 More
Hurley, Daniel T. K. Fla, S 4 10 More
Evans, Orinda Dale Ga, N 4 10 More
Barksdale, Patricia D. Mo, E 4 10 More
Wood, Kimba Maureen N. Y., S 4 10 More
Lioi, Sara Elizabeth Ohio, N 4 10 More
Lange, Roberto Antonio S Dakota 4 10 More
Jones, James Parker Virg, W 4 10 More
Table 4. Top Ten Judges

A total of 11 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 9 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 20 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)

  • Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colon in the District of Puerto Rico ranked 1st with 11 convicted in white collar crime convictions.

  • Judge Kevin Hunter Sharp in the Middle District of Tennessee (Nashville) ranked 2nd with 9 convicted in white collar crime convictions.

  • Judge Harry Daniel Leinenweber in the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago) ranked 3rd with 7 convicted in white collar crime convictions.

Report Generated: August 29, 2014
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