Are white collar crimes limited to business professionals?
No. Although white collar crime used to focus on the occupational status of the accused, the current definition focuses on the actions committed by the accused. White collar crime is defined as using illegal acts involving deceit to obtain property or services or to gain a business or professional advantage. Examples include embezzlement, mail fraud, forgery, and extortion. A specific law known as RICO, which punishes anyone who engages in a pattern of racketeering to generate income to buy a business or to conduct a business, has been applied to drug dealers and other non-organized crime defendants.
