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Street Gangs Turning to White-Collar Crimes
Many gangs have turned to white-collar crimes, including financial crimes.
January 15, 2012 /Law and Legal PR News/ -- Street Gangs Turning to White-Collar Crimes
Vice Lords. Latin Kings. Crips. Bloods. At an estimated 1.4 million members, American street gangs have grown 30 percent since 2009. Their new turf, however, is not the street corners. It's the banking sector and the Internet. Not only are financial and computer and Internet crimes lower-risk than the usual gang crimes, they can yield much greater profits and are attracting gang activity in increasing numbers.
Financial Crimes
Some gangs have recently turned to financial crimes, ranging from stealing personal identification numbers at ATMs to sophisticated mortgage fraud. The Gangster Disciples, for example, are known to pursue a strategy of buying real estate and laundering money through mortgage payments.
A few other examples from recent years include:
-April 2009: Members of the Bloods face mortgage fraud charges in San Diego
-August 2010: Black Guerilla Family members accused of using pre-paid debit cards to purchase drugs and make other illicit payments in Maryland
-February 2011: Armenian Power gang members arrested in Los Angeles for an alleged $2 million credit-card scam and check fraud operation
-October 2011: Massive counterfeiting scheme shut down in Queens, New York; more than 100 service-sector employees arrested
Computer and Internet Crimes
Cyberspace is another front where gangs are making inroads. Twitter and Facebook allow gangs to recruit members with desirable tech skills and to communicate across greater distances without the need to meet up in person. In addition, the Internet itself can be the grounds for crimes like hacking into computers and "phishing" for passwords, credit card numbers and other potentially lucrative data.
These activities present challenges to authorities fighting cyber-crime. The amounts of money involved are often relatively small, which makes it hard for authorities to identify and pin down the details of online schemes. The legal consequences of e-crimes are also typically less harsh than the sentences imposed following convictions for traditional gang activities. Fighting cyber-crime also requires high-tech skills, and many in law enforcement -- not to mention judges and jury members -- are behind the ball.
For more information on financial, computer and Internet crimes, the possible consequences that can follow a conviction and how such charges may be defended, contact an experienced white collar crime attorney in your area.
Article provided by William Spade
Visit us at www.spadelaw.com
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