White Collar Crime Convictions for January 2025
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during January 2025 the government reported 343 new white collar crime convictions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 22.9 percent over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants convicted for white collar crime-related offenses are based on case-by-case information obtained by TRAC under the Freedom of Information Act from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (see Table 1).
When monthly 2025 convictions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of convictions was only slightly down (-0.4%). Convictions over the past year are still much lower than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that convictions of this type are down 20.4 percent from levels reported in 2020.
The dip in these cases is partly related to increases in the matters filed in U.S. Magistrate Courts. If magistrate cases are excluded and only Federal District Court cases are counted, the overall decrease in white collar crime convictions is 16.2 percent instead of 20.4 percent. The evidence suggests that part of the difference may be the result of improvements in the recording of the magistrate cases by the Justice Department.
The decrease from the levels five years ago in white collar crime convictions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of white collar crime convictions of this type recorded on a month-to-month basis. Where a prosecution was initially filed in U.S. Magistrate Court and then transferred to the U.S. District Court, the magistrate filing date was used since this provides an earlier indicator of actual trends. The superimposed line on the bars plots the six-month moving average so that natural fluctuations are smoothed out. The one and five-year rates of change in Table 1 and in the sections that follow are all based upon this six-month moving average. To view trends year-by-year rather than month-by-month, see TRAC's annual report series for a broader picture.
Figure 1. Monthly Trends in White Collar Crime Convictions
Within the broad category of white collar crime, cases were classified by prosecutors into more specific types.
Case types within white collar crime are
• Federal Procurement Fraud • Federal Program Fraud • Tax Fraud • Arson for Profit • Other Insurance Fraud • Financial Institution Fraud • Bankruptcy Fraud • Advance Fee Schemes • Other Fraud Against Businesses • Consumer Fraud • Securities Fraud • Commodities Fraud • Other Investment Fraud • Antitrust Violations - Other • Computer Fraud • Health Care Fraud • Fraud Against Insurance Providers • Intellectual Property Violations • Insider Fraud Against Insurance Providers • MEWA (Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements) Fraud/MET • Antitrust Violations - Airlines • Antitrust Violations - Banking • Antitrust Violations - Defense Procurement • Antitrust Violations - Extraterritorial Application Of • Antitrust Violations - Finance Markets, Other than Banking • Telemarketing Fraud • Corporate Fraud • Identity Theft • Aggravated Identity Theft • Other White Collar Crime/Fraud The largest number of convictions of these matters in January 2025 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 23 percent of convictions. Convictions were also filed for "Fraud-Federal Program" (14.9%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (12%), "Fraud-Health Care" (8.5%), "Fraud-Tax" (8.2%), "Fraud-Securities" (7%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (5%), "Fraud-Other Business" (5%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (3.8%), "Fraud-Computer" (3.2%), "Fraud-Other Investment" (2.6%), "Fraud-Consumer" (2.3%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for white collar crime convictions in January 2025 was FBI accounting for 43 percent of convictions. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime convictions were: IRS (10% ), DHS (6%), Postal (6%), SecServ (6%). See Figure 3.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In January 2025, 2 defendants in white collar crime cases for these matters were convicted in U.S. Magistrate Courts. These courts handle less serious misdemeanor cases, including what are called "petty offenses." In addition, complaints are sometimes filed in the magistrate courts before an indictment or information is entered. In these cases, the matter starts in the magistrate courts and later moves to the district court where subsequent proceedings take place.
In the magistrate courts in January the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 8 U.S.C Section 1325 involving "Entry of alien at improper time or place; etc.". This was the lead charge for 50 percent of all magistrate convictions in January.
White Collar Crime Convictions in U.S. District Courts
In January 2025, 341 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during January there were an additional 0 defendants whose cases moved from the magistrate courts to the U.S. district courts after an indictment or information was filed. The sections which follow cover both sets of cases and therefore cover all matters filed in district court during January.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the convictions of white collar crime matters filed in U.S. District Court during January 2025.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 98 1 1 1 More 18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 37 2 3 3 More 18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 27 3 2 2 More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 26 4 8 7 More 15 USC 78j - Use/employ any manipulative/deceptive device/ in contravention 13 5 28 30 More 18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents 10 6 6 10 More 18 USC 1341 - Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles 10 6 4 8 More 18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 10 6 5 5 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 9 9 7 6 More 26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements 9 9 9 11 More Table 2. Top Charges for Convictions
"Fraud by wire, radio, or television" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343) was the most frequent recorded lead charge. "Fraud by wire, radio, or television" (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343) was ranked 1 a year ago, while it was ranked 1 five years ago.
Ranked 2nd in frequency was the lead charge "Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1349. "Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1349 was ranked 3 a year ago, while it was ranked 3 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Bank Fraud" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1344. "Bank Fraud" under Title 18 U.S.C Section 1344 was ranked 2 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 five years ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in convictions — up 200 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 15 U.S.C Section 78 that involves " Use/employ any manipulative/deceptive device/ in contravention ". This was the same statute that had the largest increase — 100 % — when compared with five years ago.
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in convictions compared to one year ago — down 42.6 percent — was " Mail Fraud - Frauds and swindles " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1341 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in convictions — 49 percent — was for convictions where the lead charge was " Health Care Fraud " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In January 2025 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government obtained 122.2 white collar crime convictions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of white collar crime convictions in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.
The districts registering the largest number of convictions per capita for these matters last month are shown in Table 3. Districts must have at least 5 white collar crime convictions to receive a ranking.
Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Montana 847 8 1 44 78 More N. Y., S 813 35 2 5 2 More Mo, E 783 19 3 6 7 More Iowa, N 721 8 4 69 55 More Ala, M 602 6 5 23 85 More Ark, E 510 7 6 33 81 More Fla, S 364 23 7 1 1 More Cal, S 348 10 8 15 43 More Ill, C 281 5 9 52 67 More Virg, E 276 15 10 9 9 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The District of Montana — with 847 convictions as compared with 122.2 convictions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during January 2025.
The Southern District of New York (Manhattan) ranked 2nd. The Southern District of New York (Manhattan) was ranked 5 a year ago, while it was ranked 2 for most frequent use five years ago.
Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) is now ranking 3rd. The Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) was ranked 6 a year ago, while it was ranked 7 for most frequent use five years ago.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Southern District of California (San Diego), now ranked 8th , and Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery) at 5th In the same order, these districts ranked 15th and 23rd one year ago and 43rd and 85th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of white collar crime convictions compared to one year ago — 112.5 percent — was Northern District of Iowa (Cedar Rapids). Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 300 percent — was Montana .
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime convictions — 64 percent — was Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery). But over the past five years, Southern District of New York (Manhattan) showed the largest drop — 52.8 percent.
Top Ranked District Judges
At any one time, there are about 680 federal District Court judges working in the United States. The judges recorded with the largest number of new white collar crime crime cases resulting in convictions of this type during January 2025 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Vyskocil, Mary Kay N. Y., S 6 1 More Sammartino, Janis Lynn Cal, S 5 2 More Tunheim, John R. Minnesota 5 2 More Autrey, Henry Edward Mo, E 5 2 More Hall, James Randal Ga, S 4 5 More Preska, Loretta A. N. Y., S 4 5 More Fischer, Nora Barry Penn, W 4 5 More Baker, Kristine Gerhard Ark, E 3 8 More Smith, Rodney Fla, S 3 8 More Strand, Leonard T. Iowa, N 3 8 More Fleissig, Audrey Goldstein Mo, E 3 8 More Molloy, Donald W. Montana 3 8 More Ramos, Edgardo N. Y., S 3 8 More Brann, Matthew William Penn, M 3 8 More Lewis, Mary Geiger S Car 3 8 More Rodriguez, Xavier Texas, W 3 8 More Trenga, Anthony John Virg, E 3 8 More Skavdahl, Scott Wesley Wyoming 3 8 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 11 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of white collar crime convictions per capita, while the remaining 7 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 18 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) ranked 1st with 6 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Judges Janis Lynn Sammartino in the Southern District of California (San Diego), John R. Tunheim in the District of Minnesota and Henry Edward Autrey in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) ranked 2nd with 5 convicted in white collar crime convictions.
Report Generated: March 12, 2025
