Centerville White-Collar Crime Attorney

50+ Years of Combined Experience Behind Your Defense

White-collar crime accusations can put your career, reputation, and future at risk. At Horwitz & Horwitz, we know how stressful it is to face allegations that may involve years of financial records, complex business practices, or misunderstandings about your role and responsibilities. We draw on decades of experience to help you understand the charges, evaluate the evidence, and build a defense that reflects your priorities and long-term goals.

What Is a White-Collar Crime?

White-collar crimes are typically non-violent offenses that involve some form of financial misconduct, dishonesty, or misuse of trust. These cases often arise in business or professional settings and may involve complicated paper or digital trails. Even when no one is physically harmed, the potential penalties can still be severe, including incarceration, restitution, fines, and long-term damage to your professional life.

Common examples of white-collar crimes include:

• Embezzlement or employee theft
• Fraud involving checks, credit cards, or electronic transfers
• Insurance fraud or billing fraud
• Forgery or altering financial documents
• Identity theft or misuse of personal information
• Tax-related offenses

Because these cases are so fact-intensive, we take the time to carefully review the financial records, interview witnesses, and identify where the State’s version of events may be incomplete or inaccurate.

How Embezzlement & Fraud Cases Can Build Over Time

Embezzlement and fraud cases can become complicated quickly. What initially appears to be a straightforward allegation of employee theft may involve months or years of transactions, disputed loss amounts, multiple people with access to company funds, and questions about how much money was actually taken for personal use.

Loss Amounts & Restitution

In many embezzlement cases, money is also central to how the matter may ultimately be resolved. A business may feel betrayed by an employee but also be primarily concerned with recovering its losses and avoiding the unwanted attention that can accompany a significant embezzlement case. Depending on the circumstances, there may be opportunities to negotiate repayment before charges are filed or, if law enforcement is involved, before the case is indicted and proceeds to court.

The amount someone is accused of stealing may not be the same as the amount ultimately determined to be owed in restitution. For example, an employee may have improperly controlled or moved a larger amount of company money while continuing to use some of those funds to pay legitimate business expenses. A careful review of the financial records may therefore be necessary to determine the actual loss and challenge an inaccurate calculation.

Past outcomes illustrate how alleged loss amounts and restitution can shape these cases. Every situation is different.

• Montgomery County, Ohio: An administrator for a youth soccer club was accused of embezzling approximately $300,000 and was indicted on 3 counts of Aggravated Theft, felonies of the 3rd degree. A thorough analysis of the transactions showed that although $300,000 was misappropriated, most of that amount was used for payments on behalf of the business. He ultimately pled guilty to one count of Aggravated Theft and received probation on the condition that he pay approximately $22,000 in restitution.
   
• Montgomery County, Ohio: An administrator for a construction firm was accused of embezzling approximately $137,000. We were retained immediately after the theft was discovered. The firm had employee theft insurance. Through negotiations with its lawyer and insurance carrier, we reached a settlement under which the $137,000 was repaid in full without the case being reported to law enforcement.
   
• Greene County, Ohio: An employee of a kitchen and bathroom remodeling company was alleged to have stolen a large amount of money, believed to be between $100,000 and $200,000. We were retained shortly after the theft was discovered. The client ultimately pled guilty to 2 counts of Grand Theft, both felonies of the 4th degree, and one count of Telecommunications Fraud, also a felony of the 4th degree. The court ordered approximately $10,000 in restitution. The client received probation, with a suspended prison sentence, in spite of the business wanting him to receive a prison sentence. As part of his probation, he was ordered to serve 6 months in the county jail. After 60 days of his jail sentence, we convinced the court to release him early so that he could receive inpatient substance abuse treatment.

Investigations & Early Defense

Determining who is responsible can be complicated when a business has weak financial controls or multiple employees have access to its accounts, checks, or other financial resources. Speaking with investigators without counsel can provide law enforcement with statements or admissions that simplify what might otherwise be a lengthy and complicated investigation.

Jon’s experience as a former prosecutor informs our approach to these cases. We understand how they are investigated and prosecuted, as well as the opportunities that may exist to challenge the alleged loss, negotiate restitution, and pursue a resolution before or after formal charges are filed.

Why It Helps to Get Legal Advice Early

White-collar investigations often move slowly in the beginning, then seem to accelerate all at once. By the time law enforcement contacts you, they may have already spent months reviewing records, interviewing witnesses, and forming conclusions about what happened. If you wait to talk with a lawyer, you may unintentionally make statements or decisions that are hard to correct later.

When we get involved early, we can:

• Help you understand your rights before you speak with investigators
• Communicate with law enforcement or the alleged victim on your behalf
• Work with your accountant or other professionals to review and organize financial records
• Identify inaccuracies in the claimed loss amount
• Explore whether repayment or other resolutions may be possible before charges are filed or before an indictment is returned

If charges have already been filed, we still take a careful, step-by-step approach to analyzing the evidence and discussing options for plea negotiations, pretrial motions, or trial.

Talk with our Centerville White-Collar Crime Lawyer

If you’re dealing with an investigation or charges involving embezzlement, fraud, or another white-collar offense, you don’t have to navigate it alone. You can talk with us about what is happening, what you have been told, and what concerns you the most. We can review the evidence, explain possible outcomes, and identify practical next steps.