San Antonio White Collar Crimes Attorney
Last updated on November 21, 2025
The term “white collar crime” refers to a wide category of criminal offenses which generally include some type of theft or fraud. Crimes of this nature are not violent, and they usually involve only money rather than other things such as drugs. Depending on the circumstances of the crime, it may be charged as either a state offense or a federal offense. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sums up the subject of white collar crime with the phrase, “lying, cheating, and stealing.”
Arrested for a white collar crime? Turn to our San Antonio white collar crime attorney by contacting the Law Office of Kerrisa Chelkowski today!
Common Types of White Collar Crimes in Texas
A large percentage of all white collar crime investigations involve various types of fraud, such as credit card fraud, insurance fraud, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, mortgage fraud or securities fraud. Increasingly, they also involve computer crimes and internet fraud, such as online scams and identity theft.
They range from large-scale activities such as pump-and-dump stock scams down to small-scale embezzlement. When they occur exclusively on the local level and do not involve activity that crosses state lines, they are charged under the terms of the Texas Penal Code, but when they are investigated and prosecuted by the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies, they fall under Title 18 of the United States Code.
Why Intent Matters In San Antonio White Collar Crimes
For prosecutors to secure a conviction, they must usually prove that a defendant “knowingly and willfully” engaged in fraudulent or illegal conduct, not simply made a mistake. This means showing that a given defendant’s actions were deliberate and designed to deceive.
Intent can be difficult to prove directly, so prosecutors generally rely on circumstantial evidence that speaks to the defendant’s mental state. This may include:
- Email or text communications suggesting knowledge of their fraudulent activity
- Financial records showing hidden accounts, unauthorized transfers or unusual transactions that are designed to obscure their actions from others
- Internal documents within a business or partnership that demonstrate deliberate misrepresentation of the facts to others or a desire to conceal information
- Witness testimony from coworkers, accountants, business partners, office managers, billing clerks or others who can attest that the defendant had actual knowledge of something illegal
- Digital evidence, such as deleted computer files, altered bookkeeping entries, manufactured receipts or fictional invoices
By piecing together these forms of evidence, prosecutors attempt to construct a narrative that the accused acted with criminal intent.
Naturally, the lack of intent is one of the strongest defenses that can be asserted in such cases, since mistakes in complex financial transactions can and do happen through simple negligence or even confusion. A skilled San Antonio criminal defense attorney understands that proving intent is often the prosecution’s biggest hurdle. Common defense strategies include:
- Demonstrating that a defendant’s errors were unintentional or accidental
- Showing there was no financial motive for the defendant to defraud anyone
- Arguing that the defendant relied on professional advice (such as an accountant or legal consultant), so they had every reason to believe their actions were legal
- Challenging the credibility of key witnesses, especially if those witnesses are seeking to mitigate their own possible involvement in the case
- Asking the court to suppress evidence that was obtained by the prosecution without a warrant or other proper legal procedures
- Proving that another party was responsible for misleading the defendant into believing that their actions were legal
With the right defense, accusations of fraud or financial wrongdoing may be rightfully reframed as misunderstandings, accounting errors or even legitimate (if ill-advised) business decisions, rather than criminal acts.
Get Experienced White Collar Crime Defense in San Antonio, TX
As soon as you learn that you are under investigation for a white collar crime, contact me at the Law Office of Kerrisa Chelkowski for a free case evaluation. I have more than a decade of experience, and have proven my ability as a San Antonio white collar crime attorney. By involving me early in the case, you may be able to resolve the matter, since I can intervene on your behalf with the authorities and seek to clear up any confusion. Even if you have already been arrested, I can still attempt to have the charges dropped. In the event that the case must go to trial, I will fight aggressively to defend your rights and protect your career against the serious consequences of a conviction!