White-Collar Crime Trends and Enforcement: What’s Changing in 2025?
Any change in administration can lead to significant shifts in how the federal government approaches key topics affecting Americans. So far, this is the case in 2025. As the country adjusts to new priorities and procedures, white-collar crime enforcement is likely to see dramatic changes. When you don’t know what to expect, it’s hard to prepare. Working with a white-collar criminal defense attorney in California can help you protect yourself from whatever may come next.
When you’re facing criminal charges, having an experienced attorney fighting for you can make a big difference in the outcome of your case. That’s where the team at the Law Offices of Robin D. Perry & Associates steps in. Led by Robin D. Perry, Esq., we know what is at stake during white-collar criminal cases and how to defend clients against aggressive accusations. Call our white-collar criminal defense law firm at 562-216-2944 to explore your legal options now.
Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program
In August 2024, the Department of Justice established the Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program. This adds to the already-established network of programs that reward corporate whistleblowers for alerting federal authorities to abuses that may result in criminal or civil forfeitures. This program in particular targets forfeitures exceeding $1,000,000. As this is a three-year initiative, 2025 is the first full year we’ll see it in action, and it will undoubtedly have an impact on how white-collar crime is handled.
Focus on Foreign Actors
In 2025 and beyond, there’s a significant focus on how foreign threats may affect American interests and expose the country to unnecessary risk. White-collar crime initiatives may look at domestic threats that share information with foreign actors, either intentionally or unintentionally. New guidelines regarding the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act may affect who is prosecuted and how. The guidelines indicate that prosecutors will not start new investigations without the Attorney General approving an exception. They do not want to use the FCPA to put undue stress on American companies and individuals conducting business in other countries. This indicates a shift toward prioritizing American economic success over enforcing standards used in previous years, which may affect how (or even if) individuals are prosecuted.
Cases Involving Actual Financial Losses
White-collar investigations have often focused both on cases involving actual financial losses and errors exposing corporate weaknesses. In 2025 and beyond, many suspect that the focus will shift largely to cases involving actual financial loss, not just the potential for financial loss. Depending on how a white collar criminal defense lawyer can frame their case, this may hurt or help those who are facing criminal accusations.
Cross-Border Transfers
Circling back to foreign issues and concerns, the DOJ Data Security Program strictly regulates the cross-border transfer of U.S. government-related data to countries of concern, which currently include China, Russia, and Iran. This includes companies that have branches or locations in countries of concern, ramping up the need for internal audits to avoid unintentional violations of federal law. Companies are expected to audit their vendor relationships, compliance programs, and data flow to protect personal and government data from foreign adversaries. The goal of this program is to protect the company from foreign adversaries who use commercial activity as a backroad to access sensitive data. As this program has been in effect since April 2025, it’s expected to play an important role in white-collar criminal investigations.
Investor Protection
In a 2025 town hall, the SEC reaffirmed its commitment to investor protection as its main priority. This will undoubtedly affect how white-collar criminal defense attorneys approach their cases, as investor loss is a common outcome of many types of white-collar crime. One area of concern is cryptocurrency, which the SEC notes can invite fraud without proper regulatory framework.
As is the case with any change in legislation or enforcement of existing legislation, how everything plays out remains to be seen. It’s important that those accused of fraud or other white-collar crimes be proactive about seeking out a white-collar criminal defense lawyer, as these cases can lead to decades in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines if not handled quickly.
Find Out How Our White Collar Criminal Defense Law Firm Can Support You
If you’re facing criminal accusations, you must act now to protect your future and your rights. Call our white collar criminal defense law firm at 562-216-2944 or contact our firm online right away to talk about your next steps.
Attorney Robin D. Perry has been part of the Long Beach Community for over 25 years handling business litigation, employment litigation and advising, criminal defense, personal injury and code enforcement defense for businesses.
