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A white collar case rarely opens with handcuffs. An investigation may begin with an audit, a subpoena for financial records, or questions from an employer or government agency. In some cases, investigators review documents and transactions before formal charges are filed.
A white collar crimes lawyer in Louisiana represents people accused of nonviolent financial offenses, including fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and identity theft, in both state and federal court. Rozas has represented clients in Louisiana criminal cases since 2004.
Our criminal defense team reviews the charges, the records behind them, and the penalties at stake, so each client understands the options before making any major decision. We handle these cases from offices in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria, Lake Charles, Monroe, and Shreveport.
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This page is attorney advertising from Rozas and provides general information about white collar criminal charges in Louisiana. It is not legal advice, and visiting this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Every case is different, and no attorney can promise a specific result.
Which Court Hears a White Collar Case in Louisiana?
White collar cases in Louisiana may proceed in state or federal court, depending on the alleged offenses and the court’s jurisdiction. Parish district attorneys prosecute state offenses in courts such as the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge. U.S. Attorneys prosecute federal offenses in the Middle District of Louisiana, based in Baton Rouge, or the Western District, which holds court in Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, and Shreveport, among other cities.
State penalties depend heavily on dollar value. Under La. R.S. 14:67, theft is the charge prosecutors typically use for embezzlement and other misappropriation, and the grade rises with the amount:
| Amount Involved | Maximum Prison Term | Maximum Fine |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 or more | 20 years at hard labor | $50,000 |
| $5,000 to under $25,000 | 10 years, with or without hard labor | $10,000 |
| $1,000 to under $5,000 | 5 years, with or without hard labor | $3,000 |
| Under $1,000 | 6 months | $1,000 |
Note: These are general penalties under Louisiana’s theft statute
When a case involves several takings, the total of all of them sets the grade of the offense. That is how a string of small transactions can be charged as one large felony.
Federal wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343 carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. The maximum increases to 30 years when the offense affects a financial institution or falls within certain other circumstances specified by the statute. These are statutory maximums, not predictions of the sentence in an individual case. Our federal crimes attorney page explains how those cases move through the system.
What White Collar Charges Does Rozas Defend in Louisiana?
Rozas defends financial crimes charged in Louisiana state courts and federal courts, including fraud, embezzlement, forgery, identity theft, and health care fraud. Every charge turns on its own elements, such as intent, authorization, and the amount involved.
- Fraud. Mail, wire, bank, insurance, and mortgage fraud, handled by our fraud defense lawyer team.
- Embezzlement and theft. Accusations that an employee, officer, or fiduciary misappropriated money entrusted to them. See our theft lawyer page.
- Forgery and worthless checks. Charged under R.S. 14:72 and R.S. 14:71.
- Identity theft and credit card fraud. Penalties scale with the value obtained.
- Medicaid and health care fraud. Investigated in part by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Many of these cases are felonies, which is why our felony defense lawyer team often gets involved from the first day.
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How Does a White Collar Defense Lawyer Build Your Case in Louisiana?
A white collar crime defense lawyer in Louisiana reviews the financial records, tests the evidence of intent and authorization, and negotiates with prosecutors or prepares for trial. The work often begins before any charge is filed.
- Protect the record. Before charges, we advise clients on contact with investigators, auditors, and employers. If an arrest has already happened, our arrest lawyer team can step in on bond and first appearances.
- Follow the money. Our in-house investigator and legal staff trace bank records, ledgers, and emails to see what the documents actually show.
- Test intent and authorization. Prosecutors must prove intent. A shared account, an approved transfer, or an honest bookkeeping error can look very different once the full paper trail is on the table.
- Check the numbers. Loss amounts drive the grade of a state charge and the sentence in federal court, so every figure gets questioned.
- Weigh the options. We explain what negotiation, restitution, and trial could each mean before the client chooses a path.
Louisiana law sets time limits for instituting criminal prosecutions. Under Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 572, the general period is six years for a felony necessarily punishable by imprisonment at hard labor and four years for a felony that is not necessarily punishable at hard labor. Other statutes and exceptions may affect the applicable period. The deadline depends on the offense and circumstances, so an attorney should review the specific charge before drawing conclusions about whether a prosecution is timely.
Why Do Louisiana Clients Choose Rozas for Financial Crime Defense?
Rozas has defended criminal cases across Louisiana since 2004, with over 20 years of combined experience and more than 11,000 clients served. Founder David Joseph Rozas began his career as a public defender and tried more than 130 bench and jury trials before opening the firm. Supervising Criminal Law Attorney Shea R. Smith helps lead the criminal defense team.
Financial cases live in the paperwork, so our firm backs its attorneys with an in-house investigator and full-time paralegal staff. Clients are represented in English and Español, from offices in six Louisiana cities.
Under Investigation or Charged? Talk to a Louisiana White Collar Defense Attorney
Rozas has defended Louisiana criminal cases since 2004, from offices in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria, Lake Charles, Monroe, and Shreveport. The sooner your case gets a careful review, the more options tend to stay available. Schedule a consultation to talk through your situation and what comes next.
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