Principal Office
15110 Dallas Pkwy #400
Dallas, TX 75248
(972) 233-5700
15110 Dallas Pkwy #400
Dallas, TX 75248
(972) 233-5700
Years Defending Texans
Cases Dismissed
Criminal Cases Handled
Counties Served Across Texas
Available | Serving All of Texas
The hardest part of a white collar charge for many people is the possibility of losing the career and professional reputation they spent years earning.
A felony embezzlement or fraud conviction may lead to the loss of professional licenses, make it difficult to continue working in finance or accounting, and create a permanent criminal record that appears during future background checks.
A white collar crime investigation in Dallas rarely starts with an arrest. It starts with a subpoena, a forensic accountant reviewing your business records, or a call from a former business partner cooperating with prosecutors.
Dallas white collar crime lawyers at the Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy step into these cases at every stage, from the first subpoena through trial in state or federal court.
Richard McConathy has handled over 6,000 criminal cases across North Texas, including financial crimes prosecuted at both the state and federal level.
The earlier you involve defense counsel, the more options remain available before charges are formally filed. Call 972-233-5700 now or contact us online to speak directly with Richard McConathy. We are available 24/7 and the first consultation is free.
McConathy Law defends white collar crime cases in Dallas with 35+ years of courtroom experience across both Texas state courts and the Northern District of Texas federal court.
Richard McConathy reviews financial records, subpoenas, and forensic accounting reports personally before forming any case strategy.
Richard McConathy holds admission to Texas state courts and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
White collar cases often move between state and federal jurisdiction depending on the dollar amount and the agencies involved, and that dual admission keeps your defense in one set of hands regardless of which court the case lands in.
You work directly with Richard McConathy from your first call through your last court date. No associate takes over your file, and no paralegal manages your case while the attorney you hired works on something else.
Call 972-233-5700 or contact us online to put Richard McConathy on your case before your next deadline.
White collar crime in Texas covers a category of non-violent offenses involving deception for financial gain, prosecuted under both the Texas Penal Code and federal statutes.
The classification spans embezzlement, fraud, forgery, money laundering, and securities violations, each carrying its own elements and penalty structure.
Texas and federal prosecutors charge these cases differently depending on the dollar amount, the use of interstate communications, and whether federally regulated institutions were involved.
A scheme that stays within Texas and under certain dollar thresholds is charged at the state level. A scheme using wire transfers, the mail, or federally insured banks may also be prosecuted in federal court depending on the facts and applicable federal law, even when the underlying conduct looks similar.
Dallas white collar prosecutions cover a range of specific offenses, each with distinct legal elements that defense counsel must address individually. The charges seen most often in Dallas County and the Northern District of Texas include the following:
White collar crime penalties in Texas scale directly with the dollar amount involved in the alleged offense, moving from misdemeanor fines to decades in state or federal prison.
| Texas White Collar Crimes | Federal White Collar Crimes |
| How Penalties Are Determined: Theft and embezzlement charges under Texas Penal Code Section 31.03 are graded based on the value of the alleged loss. | How Penalties Are Determined: Penalties depend on the charged offense, the number of counts, and the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which consider the loss amount, number of victims, and the defendant’s role. |
| Potential Consequences: Alleged losses below $2,500 are generally misdemeanors, while allegations above $300,000 are first-degree felonies with substantially greater penalties. | Potential Consequences: Wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. Section 1343 carries up to 20 years of imprisonment per count, and multiple counts can significantly increase sentencing exposure. |
A white collar criminal case in Texas frequently runs alongside a civil lawsuit from the alleged victims or a regulatory enforcement action from agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Texas State Securities Board.
A criminal conviction creates a powerful tool for plaintiffs in a related civil case, since the conviction itself becomes evidence of liability. Defense strategy in the criminal case affects exposure in any parallel civil proceeding.
Defense in a Dallas white collar crime case starts with the financial documents themselves, not the government’s summary of what those documents show.
Richard McConathy reviews bank records, business filings, emails, and accounting records directly, identifying gaps between what the prosecution alleges and what the underlying paper trail actually demonstrates.
Intent is the central issue in most white collar prosecutions. Texas and federal fraud statutes require proof that the defendant acted knowingly or with intent to deceive, not merely that a financial loss occurred.
A failed business decision, an accounting error, or a misunderstanding between business partners is not automatically a crime, and the defense builds the record that draws that distinction clearly for prosecutors, judges, and juries.
Receiving a subpoena or an investigation letter in a white collar matter means a federal or state agency already believes evidence exists connecting you to a financial crime. How you respond to that document shapes the rest of the case.
The following steps matter most when responding to an early-stage white collar investigation:
Early attorney involvement at the subpoena stage gives the defense the chance to engage with prosecutors before charges are filed, which is the point in the process where the most favorable outcomes remain available.
Yes. Texas and federal fraud statutes do not require that the defendant personally profited for a conviction to occur.
An employee who facilitated a scheme, signed off on fraudulent documents, or knowingly participated without taking a direct cut may still face charges as a co-conspirator or accomplice.
The prosecution's theory of your specific role determines your exposure, and that theory is what defense counsel challenges.
A cooperating co-defendant or business partner changes the evidentiary landscape significantly, since their statements and any documents they provide become part of the government's case.
This does not mean the case against you is automatically strong. Cooperating witnesses often have credibility problems, including their own legal exposure and motive to shift blame, which defense counsel uses during cross-examination and pre-trial motions.
No, not without an attorney present, regardless of how confident you are in your innocence. Investigators interviewing a person they suspect of wrongdoing are building a case file, and statements made informally are documented in agent reports that become evidence later.
An innocent explanation given without legal guidance can be misconstrued or used out of context. Speaking through your attorney protects your position without suggesting guilt.
State white collar charges in Texas are prosecuted under the Texas Penal Code in county or district courts, while federal charges are prosecuted under federal statutes in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Federal jurisdiction typically applies when the scheme involves interstate wire transfers, the U.S. mail, or federally insured financial institutions. Federal cases carry separate sentencing guidelines and are investigated by agencies like the FBI or IRS Criminal Investigation rather than local police departments.
Sometimes. Paying restitution in a Texas embezzlement case may influence a prosecutor's willingness to negotiate a reduced charge or an alternative resolution, but restitution alone does not guarantee a reduction.
Prosecutors weigh the dollar amount, the defendant's criminal history, and the strength of the evidence alongside any restitution offer. An attorney who presents a restitution plan as part of a broader negotiation strategy, rather than as a standalone gesture, has more leverage in these discussions.
Yes, in most cases. Texas licensing boards for accountants, financial advisors, real estate agents, attorneys, and insurance professionals require disclosure of felony convictions and may suspend or revoke a license following a white collar conviction. The licensing consequence operates independently from the criminal sentence, meaning a defendant who avoids jail time through probation may still lose their professional license through a separate board proceeding.
Yes, most white collar cases in Dallas resolve through negotiated plea agreements rather than trial.
Pre-trial negotiation in financial crime cases often involves restitution agreements, charge reductions, and sentencing recommendations worked out between defense counsel and the prosecutor before a trial date is ever set.
The strength of that negotiation depends heavily on how thoroughly the defense reviewed the financial evidence and identified weaknesses in the government's case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division (IRS-CI), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the U.S. Secret Service each investigate different categories of white collar crime in the Dallas area.
The FBI typically handles fraud and public corruption cases, IRS-CI investigates tax fraud and money laundering, and the SEC pursues securities violations. Multiple agencies sometimes investigate the same scheme jointly when the conduct overlaps their respective jurisdictions.
Richard McConathy has defended white collar crime cases in Dallas County and federal court for over 35 years, with admission to both Texas state courts and the Northern District of Texas.
He reviews financial records personally and handles every case from the first subpoena through resolution.
Call 972-233-5700 now or contact us online. The consultation is confidential, free, and available 24/7.
Whether you're facing a felony charge or fighting a traffic ticket, every case deserves serious attention. Get an experienced defense team in your corner now.
