White Collar Crime Convictions for September 2017
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during September 2017 the government reported 595 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 24.7 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.
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 2017 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was down (-7.8%). 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 26 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.
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 September 2017 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 15.8 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Tax" (12.3%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (11.6%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (10.3%), "Fraud-Federal Program" (9.9%), "Fraud-Health Care" (9.6%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (7.1%), "Fraud-Other Business" (5.5%), "Fraud-Bankruptcy" (2.9%), "Fraud-Computer" (2.5%), "Fraud-Securities" (2.5%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in September 2017 was FBI accounting for 32 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: IRS (17% ), DHS (10%), SecServ (9%), Postal (6%). See Figure 3.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In September 2017, 13 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 September the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1028 involving "Aggravated Identity Theft". This was the lead charge for 69.2 percent of all magistrate convictions in September.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In September 2017, 582 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during September 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 September.
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 September 2017.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 106 1 1 3 More 18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 51 2 5 1 More 18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 39 3 7 9 More 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 33 4 6 2 More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 32 5 3 7 More 18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 32 5 4 6 More 18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 31 7 9 8 More 18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 31 7 2 5 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 30 9 8 4 More 18 USC 286 - Conspiracy to defraud the Government claims 19 10 11 19 More 18 USC 1028A - Aggravated Identity Theft 19 10 12 13 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 3 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 5 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Health Care Fraud" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347. "Health Care Fraud" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347 was ranked 7 a year ago, while it was ranked 9 five years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 26.3 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 371 that involves " Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 34.4 percent — was registered for convictions under " Health Care Fraud " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 49.4 percent — was " Conspiracy to defraud the Government claims " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 286 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 57.9 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In September 2017 the Justice Department said the government obtained 216.1 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 Ala, M 1,460 14 1 88 56 More La, E 1,357 19 2 26 41 More N. Y., S 1,303 57 3 15 22 More Hawaii 840 10 4 76 37 More W Virg, N 775 6 5 42 67 More Tenn, W 765 10 6 61 41 More Mich, E 578 31 7 7 15 More Ala, N 544 13 8 42 29 More Fla, S 508 31 9 1 1 More Iowa, S 465 7 10 64 70 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery) — with 1460 convictions as compared with 216.1 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during September 2017.
The Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans) ranked 2nd.
Southern District of New York (Manhattan) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Southern District of New York (Manhattan), now ranked 3rd , and Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans) at 2nd In the same order, these districts ranked 15th and 26th one year ago and 22nd and 41st 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 — 260 percent — was Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 155.9 percent — was Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime convictions — 34.8 percent — was Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling). But over the past five years, Hawaii showed the largest drop — 50 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 September 2017 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Abrams, Ronnie N. Y., S 13 1 More Middlebrooks, Donald M. Fla, S 7 2 More Watkins, William Keith Ala, M 5 3 More Dimitrouleas, William P. Fla, S 5 3 More Murphy, Stephen Joseph, III Mich, E 5 3 More Gilmore, Vanessa D. Texas, S 5 3 More Coogler, L. Scott Ala, N 4 7 More Wake, Neil Vincent Arizona 4 7 More Nunley, Troy Lynne Cal, E 4 7 More Walker, Mark Eaton Fla, N 4 7 More Gayles, Darrin Phillip Fla, S 4 7 More Lefkow, Joan Humphrey Ill, N 4 7 More Pratt, Tanya Walton Ind, S 4 7 More Marten, John Thomas Kansas 4 7 More Xinis, Paula Maryland 4 7 More Maloney, Paul Lewis Mich, W 4 7 More Mordue, Norman A. N. Y., N 4 7 More Seibel, Cathy N. Y., S 4 7 More Engelmayer, Paul Adam N. Y., S 4 7 More Forrest, Katherine Bolan N. Y., S 4 7 More Caputo, A. Richard Penn, M 4 7 More Stadtmueller, Joseph Peter Wisc, E 4 7 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 10 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 12 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 22 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Ronnie Abrams in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) ranked 1st with 13 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks in the Southern District of Florida (Miami) ranked 2nd with 7 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Judges William Keith Watkins in the Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery), William P. Dimitrouleas in the Southern District of Florida (Miami), Stephen Joseph Murphy, III in the Eastern District of Michigan (Detroit) and Vanessa D. Gilmore in the Southern District of Texas (Houston) ranked 3rd with 5 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Report Generated: November 22, 2017
