White-Collar Crimes

Sophisticated investigations demand early, strategic, and discreet representation.

White-collar investigations are different from most criminal cases. They usually begin quietly, long before any charges are filed – with a grand jury subpoena, a target letter, an agent’s visit, or a request for an interview. They often involve corporations and their employees, regulators and prosecutors, and civil litigants all at once. And for executives, professionals, and business owners, the reputational stakes can be as consequential as the legal ones.

The most important work in a white-collar matter often happens before an indictment. Early, strategic engagement with prosecutors can shape how the government views a case – and sometimes persuade it not to bring charges at all. That work requires a deep understanding of how federal and state prosecutors make charging decisions, how to present complex facts persuasively, and how to protect a client’s interests when those interests diverge from an employer’s or a colleague’s. When a case does proceed to court, it requires the trial skill to take on a well-resourced prosecution team.

IredaleRoth represents individuals and organizations in white-collar investigations and prosecutions in state and federal court. We have defended clients charged by District Attorneys, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and the Department of Justice’s main office in Washington, D.C. We have handled parallel actions alleging both civil and criminal liability. And in government practice, Owen Roth handled an array of white-collar crimes, such as securities fraud, healthcare fraud, mortgage fraud, wire fraud, and the like. He teaches White Collar Crime as an Adjunct Professor at a local San Diego law school.

Anyone contacted in connection with a white-collar investigation should consider:

• What is the person’s status? Whether someone is a witness, a subject, or a target shapes every decision about cooperation, testimony, and document production.

• Should the person speak with investigators? Voluntary interviews carry real risks, including potential false-statement charges. These decisions should never be made without counsel.

• Are the company’s interests aligned with the individual’s? Company counsel represents the company. Individuals often need their own independent representation to protect their interests.