White collar crimes usually involve felony charges that can come with severe consequences. Many involve the potential for paying fines and/or spending time in prison. Some people who are convicted of this type of crime might have to repay the victims for the damages of the crime. This is known as restitution.
The court will only order restitution if the victim of the crime suffered a monetary loss. This doesn’t take the place of other penalties. For example, you might be ordered to spend time in prison, pay fines and do community service as well as paying restitution.
The sole purpose of restitution is to hold the defendant accountable for the financial losses of the victim. This might be the money the person spent to freeze their credit and take steps to stop credit applications. It could be the losses that a business suffered because of embezzlement. The court considers the circumstances of the case and determines what’s appropriate.
Restitution isn’t a fine. The court can issue fines on top of the restitution. This is meant to deter you from doing the same thing again and to punish you for what you’ve already done. The fines remain within the court system while the restitution goes to the victim.
If you are facing a white collar crime charge, you need to seek experienced legal guidance. Your defense attorney can review all of the possible options with you so that you can make an informed decision. Every case is unique. However, sometimes, a plea deal can get you a sentence that isn’t as harsh as the worst case scenario.