The former vice president of the United Auto Workers, or UAW, might be sentenced to three years in prison. The individual was arrested and charged after an investigation into the auto industry uncovered multiple cases of fraud and corruption. During his trial, the man pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
In addition to being the UAW vice president, the man served on the GM board. During this time, he ordered nearly 60,000 watches from a contractor and received over $250,000 in kickbacks. He pocketed the money, but the watches were never distributed. According to one attorney involved in the case, the man used his influence in the automobile industry to commit white-collar crimes for his own profit.
This is only one of several charges that were brought against various men in the automobile industry. The former president of the UAW pleaded guilty to embezzlement. Additionally, another UAW member pleaded guilty to stealing $1 million from union workers. So far, a dozen individuals have been charged with various white-collar crimes that were uncovered during the investigation.
What should you do if you’re being charged with white-collar crimes?
White-collar crimes like fraud and embezzlement might not seem like serious felonies like robbery and murder. However, white-collar crimes can come with stiff punishments. People who have been charged with white-collar crimes could be facing years in prison and extensive fines. They might also risk losing their business and their reputation in the industry.
An attorney may represent clients being accused of white-collar crimes like fraud, identity theft, embezzlement, money laundering, counterfeiting and other crimes. Your attorney might be able to help you protect your career, business and reputation against accusations and get back to work as soon as possible.