White Collar Crime Convictions for April 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during April 2024 the government reported 396 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is down 7.3 percent over the previous month.
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 2024 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was up (7.1%). 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 7.6 percent from levels reported in 2019.
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.
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 April 2024 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 23.2 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Federal Program" (15.7%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (11.9%), "Fraud-Health Care" (11.1%), "Fraud-Tax" (10.4%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (5.3%), "Fraud-Computer" (4.3%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (4%), "Fraud-Other Business" (4%), "Fraud-Consumer" (2.8%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in April 2024 was FBI accounting for 37 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: DHS (13% ), IRS (12%), Postal (7%), SecServ (7%). See Figure 3.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In April 2024, no defendants in white collar crime cases for these matters were convicted 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.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In April 2024, 395 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during April 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 April.
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 April 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 106 1 1 1 More 18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 42 2 3 4 More 18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 34 3 2 3 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 21 4 7 8 More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 18 5 5 6 More 26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements 17 6 9 11 More 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 16 7 6 9 More 18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 16 7 4 5 More 18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 14 9 8 7 More 18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 13 10 9 2 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 1 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1349. "Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1349 was ranked 3 a year ago, while it was ranked 4 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "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 3 five years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 31.3 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1349 that involves " Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 48.6 percent — was registered for convictions under " Fraud by wire, radio, or television " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 12.7 percent — was " Fraud and related activity - access devices " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1029 ). This was the same statute that had the largest decrease — 65.2 % — when compared with five years ago.
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In April 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 142.2 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 N. Y., S 694 30 1 8 5 More Fla, S 496 31 2 1 1 More Cal, S 452 13 3 26 19 More La, E 436 6 4 13 43 More N Car, E 374 13 5 46 33 More Wash, E 354 5 6 80 69 More Nebraska 305 5 7 44 59 More Nevada 302 8 8 33 28 More Mo, W 294 8 9 31 29 More Penn, W 259 8 10 17 24 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of New York (Manhattan) — with 694 convictions as compared with 142.2 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during April 2024. The Southern District of New York (Manhattan) was ranked 8 a year ago, while it was ranked 5 for most frequent use five years ago.
The Southern District of Florida (Miami) ranked 2nd. The Southern District of Florida (Miami) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 for most frequent use five years ago.
Southern District of California (San Diego) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans), now ranked 4th , and Western District of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) at 10th In the same order, these districts ranked 13th and 17th one year ago and 43rd and 24th 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 — 200 percent — was Eastern District of Washington (Spokane). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 76.9 percent — was Nebraska .
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime convictions — 30.4 percent — was Western District of Missouri (Kansas City). This was the same district that had the largest increase — 33.3 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 April 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Martinez, Jose E. Fla, S 5 1 More Wimes, Brian Curtis Mo, W 5 1 More Oetken, James Paul N. Y., S 5 1 More Barrett, Michael Ryan Ohio, S 5 1 More Gee, Dolly Maizie Cal, C 4 5 More Drozd, Dale A. Cal, E 4 5 More Saris, Patti B. Mass 4 5 More Sammartino, Janis Lynn Cal, S 3 8 More Bashant, Cynthia Ann Cal, S 3 8 More Williams, Kathleen Mary Fla, S 3 8 More Altman, Roy Kalman Fla, S 3 8 More Smith, Rodney Fla, S 3 8 More Casper, Denise Jefferson Mass 3 8 More Rakoff, Jed Saul N. Y., S 3 8 More Knepp, James R., II Ohio, N 3 8 More Rose, Thomas M. Ohio, S 3 8 More Schreier, Karen E. S Dakota 3 8 More Jordan, Sean D. Texas, E 3 8 More Crane, Randy Texas, S 3 8 More Nielson, Howard Curtis, Jr. Utah 3 8 More Dimke, Mary K. Wash, E 3 8 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 11 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 21 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judges Jose E. Martinez in the Southern District of Florida (Miami), Brian Curtis Wimes in the Western District of Missouri (Kansas City), James Paul Oetken in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) and Michael Ryan Barrett in the Southern District of Ohio (Cincinnati) ranked 1st with 5 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Report Generated: June 17, 2024
