White Collar Crime

White collar crime refers to offences involving dishonesty, fraud, or misconduct in a business or professional context. Common examples include corporate fraud, false accounting, embezzlement, money laundering, insider trading, bribery and corruption, tax evasion, and obtaining financial advantage by deception. These matters are typically investigated by federal agencies such as the AFP and ASIC, and prosecuted by the CDPP under Commonwealth legislation.

White collar crime investigations in Australia are commonly led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Prosecutions are typically conducted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) under legislation such as the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) and the Corporations Act 2001.

Penalties are serious and can include imprisonment, substantial fines or compensation orders, disqualification from managing a corporation, and asset recovery action under proceeds of crime legislation. Beyond these legal consequences, a conviction can cause significant and lasting reputational and professional damage.

Tax avoidance uses legitimate legal structures to minimise a tax obligation. Tax evasion is a criminal offence – it involves deliberately misreporting income, claiming false deductions, concealing assets, or providing false information to the ATO. Tax evasion can result in criminal conviction, substantial fines, and imprisonment.

As soon as you become aware that you may be under investigation – ideally before you have any contact with the AFP, ASIC, or the ATO. Engaging with investigators without legal advice can seriously compromise your defence. If you have received a search warrant, been asked to attend a voluntary interview, or been formally charged, call Slades & Parsons immediately on (03) 9602 3000.