White Collar Crime Lawyer

Complex criminal, financial, and commercial investigations and charges require an experienced legal team.

White Collar Defense Built for Real Investigations

White collar cases are not “paper cases.” They are fact cases—built from emails, chat logs, deal documents, accounting records,
bank data, phone extractions, and witness narratives that prosecutors shape into intent. The early phase is usually decisive:
how quickly the record is gathered, how the story is framed, and whether the government’s theory can be tested before it hardens.
Levin & Associates, PLLC represents individuals, executives, and companies in high-stakes white collar investigations and prosecutions,
with an approach designed for speed, discretion, and leverage.

The firm is led by Mr. Levin, a former federal prosecutor and former senior attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Mr. Levin’s white collar practice concentrates on complex financial matters—fraud allegations, money movement issues, asset restraint,
and investigations where the government is probing knowledge, intent, and “controls.” He is often retained at the first sign of trouble:
a subpoena, a call from a bank or compliance department, an internal report, a search warrant, or a target letter.

What Clients Actually Need in a White Collar Matter

  • Immediate triage to identify true exposure, preserve evidence, and prevent avoidable missteps.
  • Rapid fact development to locate the documents and witnesses that matter—not noise.
  • A defense theory early that explains intent, context, and business reality in plain language.
  • Pre-charge advocacy that tests the government’s assumptions and narrows or eliminates charges.
  • Collateral-risk control for licensing, employment, regulatory reporting, banking access, and reputation.

White collar defense is strategy. It is understanding what the government can prove, what it cannot, and what it is assuming—then
forcing the case onto the strongest factual terrain for the client.

Representative Matters

  • Fraud allegations and investigations (commercial, investor, and financial matters)
  • Subpoenas, proffers, and witness representation in state and federal investigations
  • Internal investigations and sensitive board-level advisory work
  • Parallel criminal and regulatory proceedings
  • Money-laundering-adjacent investigations and financial enforcement exposure
  • Asset restraint and forfeiture issues, including tracing and innocent-owner advocacy
  • Targeted motion practice and trial-ready litigation when resolution is not possible

Financial Enforcement Experience That Changes the Playbook

Mr. Levin previously served as Chief of Asset Forfeiture in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and has deep experience with financial enforcement, including money laundering and asset recovery. He has worked on matters arising from major bank enforcement actions, including those involving HSBC and Standard Chartered, and investigations involving BNP Paribas and ING. That background matters in modern white collar cases, where financial evidence, parallel processes, and asset consequences can drive outcomes as much as the charging instrument itself.

Direct, Discreet Representation

Levin & Associates is engaged when there is no margin for delay: when clients need a candid assessment, a plan, and advocacy that is measured but forceful. If you are facing a white collar investigation or prosecution, or you suspect an issue is developing internally, Mr. Levin can help you assess next steps and move forward with a clear, defensible strategy.

 

White collar crime lawyer Mr. Levin

White Collar Crime Lawyer FAQs

A white collar crime is typically a non-violent crime that is committed by a person who is in a position of power or trust. These crimes are typically financial in nature. They are often alleged to have been committed in order to gain a monetary or economic advantage and can be difficult to detect and prosecute. Due to government and corporate investigations over the years, new legislation such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and False Claims Act have been created. Below is a breakdown of the different types of crimes that require an experienced white collar criminal attorney.

Common types of white collar crime include:

• Embezzlement
• Financial Fraud
• Insider Trading
• Money Laundering
• Tax Evasion
• Securities Fraud
• Wire Fraud
• Bank Fraud
• Healthcare Fraud
• Wire Fraud
• Mortgage Fraud

Embezzlement is the illegal act of taking money or property that has been entrusted to someone for safekeeping. It is a serious crime that can have severe penalties, including prison time. Embezzlement can occur in any type of business or organization, but it is most commonly committed by employees who have access to company funds. If you are facing embezzlement charges, it is important to seek the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible to help you navigate investigations and charges.

Financial fraud is a type of financial crime that involves the use of deception to obtain money or property. It can take many different forms, from simple check kiting schemes to more complex crimes like identity theft and investment fraud.

Insider trading is the trading of a company’s securities by individuals with access to confidential or material nonpublic information about the company. Insider trading is the trading of a company’s securities by individuals with access to confidential information. This type of insider information can give investors an unfair advantage and cause significant financial losses for other market participants.

Money laundering is the process of disguising money or assets that have been obtained through illegal activities so they appear to have come from a legitimate source.

Tax evasion is defined as a variety of acts to deliberately avoid paying taxes to local, state or federal governments. Tax evasion can be prosecuted on the state or federal level.

Securities fraud primarily consists of deceptive practices in the stock and commodity markets, including SEC investigations. Other securities fraud could also consist of Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes and theft from investors of securities or investment funds.

A type of fraud that involves the use of wire communication in order to knowingly and intentionally commit a crime. Wire fraud can be committed through any writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds that are electronically transmitted.

Bank fraud is defined as using deception to steal money or assets from a bank, financial institution, or a bank’s depositors. Bank fraud may involve any deliberate action aimed at defrauding a financial institution.

Healthcare fraud is a deliberate deception or misrepresentation of healthcare services provided that results in an unauthorized reimbursement.

Mortgage fraud includes fraudulent foreclosure prevention and loan modification scams. It also could include allegations against a borrower as an active participant in the scheme to commit fraud to purchase a home.

  • Mortgage fraud includes fraudulent foreclosure prevention and loan modification scams. It also could include allegations against a borrower as an active participant in the scheme to commit fraud to purchase a home
  • Mortgage Fraud Types
    • Income fraud (overstating your income or “borrowing” money from a third-party source to create an illusion of financial stability).
    • Appraisal fraud (intentionally overstating or understating the value of a piece of real estate or property for your financial gain).
    • Fraudulent disclosure (misstating debts or liabilities, misrepresenting employment status, and falsification of other loan application information).

A white collar crime lawyer is a lawyer who specializes in defending clients who are accused of white collar crimes. White collar crimes are typically non-violent financial crimes, such as fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, money laundering, and tax evasion. A white collar crime lawyer will typically have experience in criminal law, as well as knowledge of the specific laws and regulations related to white collar crimes. They will also have experience in defending clients in criminal proceedings, negotiating plea deals, and representing clients in civil litigation.

Notable Cases

Charlie Walk

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Harvey Weinstein

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United States v. Clare Bronfman (“NXIVM” case)

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Wiz Khalifa (“Khalifa Kush”)

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Gen. Khalifa Hafter

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Oleg Deripaska v. Janet Yellen

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Jennifer Weisselberg (Trump Organization criminal case)

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People v. Steven Etkind

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Featured Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation and Disputes Practice

Levin & Associates is among New York’s premiere commercial litigation law firms.

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Crisis Management & Risk Mitigation

Our best result is that no one knows how well we did our job — because no one never found out about your crisis.

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Foreign Trade Sanctions Practice

Our OFAC experience is unparalleled, with extensive connections at federal and state enforcement.

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Regulatory Investigations

Levin & Associates is regularly considered one of the most admired and outstanding regulatory investigation legal firms in the United States.

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Sovereign Immunity Practice

Levin & Associates has extensive experience in litigation concerning immunity and other issues under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.  

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Criminal Defense Practice

Complex criminal, financial, and commercial investigations and charges require an experienced legal team.

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Bespoke Legal Counsel & Elite Representation

Industry leading legal representation for criminal defense, complex financial investigations, and international business affairs.

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