Blog
Crime in the Suites An Analysis of Current Issues in White Collar Defense

A Blog About Current Issues in White Collar Defense

Human Trafficking Blindspot
November 27, 2023

Human Trafficking Blindspot

By: James Trusty
For many years now, state and federal prosecutors have become increasingly aware of the insidious nature of sexual and labor trafficking. Victimization is cultivated by strong, threatening, and cunning traffickers. Gangs have increasingly turned to sex trafficking as a source of illicit income with low visibility—a trade that does not “bring the heat” to the criminal enterprise in the same way that drug trafficking and gang-on-gang violence tends to do. Abusers become skillful at manipulation, intimidation, and coercion--rendering their victims full of despair and self-doubt. In short, the business has blossomed and spread beyond the southwest border and Interstate 95 truck stops into largely unsuspecting communities throughout the country. As sex trafficking has been on the rise, so has the law enforcement response. Mandatory penalties, prosecutors and agencies specifically devoted to combatting human trafficking, and an increasing general awareness by law enforcement and the media, have contributed to unprecedented success in going after the bad guys and putting them away for a long time. One lagging component of the law... Read more
Equal Justice as Another Casualty of War
November 9, 2023

Equal Justice as Another Casualty of War

By: James Trusty

While many Americans properly focus on the carnage and chaos of two wars, there is also a more subtle war being waged by progressive mayors—and others in high positions—on fundamentally important notions like Rule of Law and Equal Justice. Last weekend over 100,000 protesters descended upon Washington, D.C. to chant and vandalize as a bewildering… Read More

Reading the Plea Leaves
October 25, 2023

Reading the Plea Leaves

By: James Trusty

Are guilty pleas in Fulton County confirming the righteousness of Fani Willis’ RICO prosecution or do they reflect an inherent frailty of the case, even in a venue where jurors largely can be expected to instinctively support a prosecution of high-profile Republicans? A close look at the recent plea agreements suggests that prosecutorial victory laps… Read More

Not a Grande Victory for DOJ
September 13, 2023

Not a Grande Victory for DOJ

By: James Trusty

Frustrated with the massive influx of aliens into Texas, Texas Governor Greg Abbott came up with a plan that was physically simple, but legally complex: drop a 1000-foot-long buoy barrier into the middle of the Rio Grande. The four-foot spherical orange buoys were chained together and anchored to the riverbed near the town of Eagle… Read More

When Acquitted Conduct Becomes Untouchable
July 27, 2023

When Acquitted Conduct Becomes Untouchable

By: James Trusty

Alphonse Gabriel Capone was never prosecuted for murder, so there was never a jury determining whether Al was responsible for the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in which seven gang rivals were executed by Capone’s underlings. Instead, “Scarface” Capone was prosecuted and convicted for felony tax evasion offenses, for which he received 11 years in… Read More

True Threats and True Agendas
July 6, 2023

True Threats and True Agendas

By: James Trusty

Last week’s Supreme Court opinion on the “true threats” doctrine seemingly settles a long- brewing issue in threat-based prosecutions but also reflects the anticipatory positioning of various Associate Justices on much hotter issues that may make their way to SCOTUS consideration in the near future. As such, the debate-behind-the-debate between the Court’s members is of… Read More

Many years ago, a prosecutor I worked with at the time was in a fascinating murder trial, where the defense included a forensic psychiatrist opining that the defendant suffered from multiple personalities. According to this expert, one of the “inhabitants” of the defendant’s mind was a creature named Tofu the Demon Dog. On cross examination,… Read More

On May 10, 2023, the First Circuit Court of Appeals provided welcoming news to two of the defendants in “Varsity Blues” the college admissions scandal – their convictions were being vacated. Former Wynn Resorts executive Gamal Abdelaziz and private equity executive John Wilson were just two of dozens of high-profile defendants charged with various white-collar… Read More

Playing with House Money
May 15, 2023

Playing with House Money

By: James Trusty

Just as the walls seemed to be closing in on young entrepreneur Charlie Javice, a bit of offense has left her opponent, JPMorgan, in an entirely uncomfortable position largely of its own making. Javice founded a college loan planning entity called Frank, that appeared to be doing so well that JP Morgan bought it in… Read More

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has announced charges against eight finance-oriented social media influencers in an alleged $100 million securities fraud scheme, in which they engaged in “pump-and-dump” market manipulation by leveraging their following on various social media platforms. The securities fraud charges, unsealed on December 13th, name seven defendants with an eighth… Read More