White Collar Crime Convictions for February 2024
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during February 2024 the government reported 422 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 22 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 (5.4%). 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 1.1 percent from levels reported in 2019.
The leveling out in these cases is partly related to increases in the matters filed in U.S. Magistrate Courts. If magistrate cases are excluded and only Federal District Court cases are counted, the overall decrease in white collar crime convictions is 0.5 percent instead of 1.1 percent. The evidence suggests that part of the difference may be the result of improvements in the recording of the magistrate cases by the Justice Department.
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 February 2024 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 25.8 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Federal Program" (15.4%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (10.9%), "Fraud-Tax" (9.5%), "Fraud-Health Care" (7.6%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (6.4%), "Fraud-Computer" (4.3%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (4.3%), "Fraud-Other Business" (4%), "Fraud-Consumer" (2.8%), "Fraud-Securities" (2.4%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in February 2024 was FBI accounting for 31 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: IRS (14% ), DHS (12%), SecServ (9%), Postal (7%). See Figure 3.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In February 2024, 3 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.
In the magistrate courts in February the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 21 U.S.C Section 331 involving "Fed Food, Drug & Cosmetics Act - Prohibited acts". This was the lead charge for 66.7 percent of all magistrate convictions in February.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In February 2024, 419 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during February 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 February.
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 February 2024.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 102 1 1 1 More 18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 40 2 2 2 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 26 3 5 7 More 18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 26 3 3 4 More 18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 22 5 8 9 More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 20 6 6 6 More 26 USC 7201 - Attempt to evade or defeat tax 19 7 12 12 More 18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 18 8 11 3 More 18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 18 8 4 5 More 18 USC 1028A - Aggravated Identity Theft 9 10 10 10 More 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 9 10 7 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 2 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd were "Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 371 and "Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1349. "Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 371 was ranked 5 a year ago, while it was ranked 7 five years ago."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 29.3 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 — 69.6 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 34.3 percent — was " Aggravated Identity Theft " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1028 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 61.2 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 February 2024 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 150.9 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 W Virg, S 846 6 1 55 78 More Ala, S 834 6 2 43 80 More Ala, M 806 8 3 68 67 More Montana 641 6 4 53 71 More Fla, S 607 38 5 1 1 More Delaware 589 5 6 80 88 More Tenn, W 540 7 7 46 36 More Penn, E 418 21 8 12 4 More Ark, E 366 5 9 55 34 More Wash, E 354 5 10 80 55 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The Southern District of West Virginia (Charleston) — with 846 convictions as compared with 150.9 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during February 2024.
The Southern District of Alabama (Mobile) ranked 2nd.
Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), now ranked 8th , and Southern District of Alabama (Mobile) at 2nd In the same order, these districts ranked 12th and 43rd one year ago and 4th and 80th 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 — 340 percent — was Eastern District of Washington (Spokane). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 320 percent — was Southern District of Alabama (Mobile).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime convictions — 2 percent — was Southern District of Florida (Miami). But over the past five years, Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) showed the largest drop — 35.2 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 February 2024 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Dalton, Roy Bale, Jr. Fla, M 10 1 More Goldsmith, Mark Allan Mich, E 6 2 More Parker, Thomas Lee Robinson Tenn, W 6 2 More Stadtmueller, Joseph Peter Wisc, E 6 2 More Scriven, Mary Stenson Fla, M 5 5 More Altman, Roy Kalman Fla, S 5 5 More Saris, Patti B. Mass 5 5 More Pratter, Gene E.K. Penn, E 5 5 More Rice, Thomas Owen Wash, E 5 5 More Mendoza, Carlos Eduardo Fla, M 4 10 More Altonaga, Cecilia M. Fla, S 4 10 More Bloom, Beth Francine Fla, S 4 10 More Smith, Rodney Fla, S 4 10 More Chuang, Theodore David Maryland 4 10 More Hanen, Andrew S. Texas, S 4 10 More Peterson, James Donald Wisc, W 4 10 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 7 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 16 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Roy Bale Dalton, Jr. in the Middle District of Florida (Tampa) ranked 1st with 10 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Judges Mark Allan Goldsmith in the Eastern District of Michigan (Detroit), Thomas Lee Robinson Parker in the Western District of Tennessee (Memphis) and Joseph Peter Stadtmueller in the Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) ranked 2nd with 6 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Report Generated: April 3, 2024
