White Collar Crime Convictions for August 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during August 2024 the government reported 369 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is down 15.2 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 only slightly up (1.7%). 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 19.8 percent from levels reported in 2019.
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.
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 August 2024 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 24.1 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Federal Program" (14.1%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (10.8%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (9.8%), "Fraud-Health Care" (8.9%), "Fraud-Tax" (4.6%), "Fraud-Computer" (4.3%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (4.3%), "Fraud-Other Business" (4.3%), "Fraud-Federal Procurement" (3%), "Fraud-Other Investment" (3%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in August 2024 was FBI accounting for 34 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: IRS (9% ), DHS (8%), SecServ (8%), HHS (7%). See Figure 3.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In August 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 August 2024, 368 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during August 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 August.
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 August 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 115 1 1 1 More 18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 36 2 2 3 More 18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 23 3 3 4 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 20 4 6 6 More 18 USC 1028A - Aggravated Identity Theft 18 5 11 10 More 18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 15 6 7 7 More 18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 15 6 10 2 More 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 14 8 5 9 More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 13 9 8 5 More 18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 12 10 4 8 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 "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.
Ranked 3rd was "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.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 18.5 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1344 that involves " Bank Fraud ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 52.3 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 27.9 percent — was " Health Care Fraud " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 73.4 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Fraud and related activity - access devices " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1029 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In August 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 132.5 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 Montana 962 9 1 31 65 More Okla, N 874 8 2 70 74 More Mo, E 700 17 3 6 9 More Cal, S 452 13 4 24 40 More Iowa, N 451 5 5 80 59 More N. Y., S 440 19 6 4 2 More Fla, S 352 22 7 1 1 More N Mexico 341 6 8 56 40 More Okla, W 330 6 9 53 65 More Texas, E 329 12 10 56 49 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The District of Montana — with 962 convictions as compared with 132.5 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during August 2024.
The Northern District of Oklahoma (Tulsa) ranked 2nd.
Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) is now ranking 3rd. The Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) was ranked 6 a year ago, while it was ranked 9 for most frequent use five years ago.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Southern District of California (San Diego), now ranked 4th , and Montana at 1st In the same order, these districts ranked 24th and 31st one year ago and 40th and 65th 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 — 360 percent — was Northern District of Iowa (Cedar Rapids). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 210 percent — was Southern District of California (San Diego).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime convictions — 39.3 percent — was Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis). But over the past five years, New Mexico showed the largest drop — 45 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 August 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Sammartino, Janis Lynn Cal, S 7 1 More Williams, Kathleen Mary Fla, S 5 2 More Clark, Stephen Robert, Sr. Mo, E 5 2 More Bell, Kenneth Davis, Sr. N Car, W 4 4 More Furman, Jesse Matthew N. Y., S 4 4 More Frizzell, Gregory Kent Okla, N 4 4 More Nielson, Howard Curtis, Jr. Utah 4 4 More Drozd, Dale A. Cal, E 3 8 More Montenegro, Ruth Bermudez Cal, S 3 8 More Shea, Michael Peter Conn 3 8 More Jones, Steve CarMichael Ga, N 3 8 More Chuang, Theodore David Maryland 3 8 More Xinis, Paula Maryland 3 8 More Tunheim, John R. Minnesota 3 8 More Fleissig, Audrey Goldstein Mo, E 3 8 More Dever, James C., III N Car, E 3 8 More Browning, James O. N Mexico 3 8 More Rakoff, Jed Saul N. Y., S 3 8 More Wolford, Elizabeth Ann N. Y., W 3 8 More Jones, Bernard M. Okla, W 3 8 More Brann, Matthew William Penn, M 3 8 More Schell, Richard A. Texas, E 3 8 More Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 3 8 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 12 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 23 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Janis Lynn Sammartino in the Southern District of California (San Diego) ranked 1st with 7 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Judges Kathleen Mary Williams in the Southern District of Florida (Miami) and Stephen Robert Clark, Sr. in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) ranked 2nd with 5 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Report Generated: September 30, 2024
