White Collar Crime Prosecutions for March 2026
The latest available data from the Justice Department show that during March 2026 the government reported 340 new white collar crime prosecutions. According to the case-by-case information analyzed by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), this number is up 11.8 percent over the previous month.
The comparisons of the number of defendants charged with 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 2026 prosecutions of this type are compared with those of the same period in the previous year, the number of filings was down (-14.4%). Prosecutions over the past year are still much lower than they were five years ago. Overall, the data show that prosecutions of this type are down 13 percent from levels reported in 2021.
The decrease from the levels five years ago in white collar crime prosecutions for these matters is shown more clearly in Figure 1. The vertical bars in Figure 1 represent the number of white collar crime prosecutions 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 Prosecutions
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 prosecutions of these matters in March 2026 was for "Fraud-Other", accounting for 25 percent of prosecutions. Prosecutions were also filed for "Fraud-Federal Program" (14.1%), "Fraud-Computer" (11.8%), "Fraud-Financial Institution" (11.5%), "Fraud-Tax" (10.6%), "Fraud-Health Care" (7.1%), "Fraud-Other Business" (3.8%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Aggravated" (3.5%), "Fraud-Consumer" (2.9%), "Fraud-Identity Theft-Other" (2.4%), "Fraud-Mortgage" (2.4%). See Figure 2.
The lead investigative agency for white collar crime prosecutions in March 2026 was FBI accounting for 42 percent of prosecutions referred. Other agencies with substantial numbers of white collar crime referrals were: IRS (12% ), DHS (9%), HHS (8%), Postal (7%). See Figure 3.
White Collar Crime Prosecutions in U.S. Magistrate Courts
Top Ranked Lead Charges
In March 2026, 58 defendants in white collar crime cases for these matters were filed 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 March the most frequently cited lead charge was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1343 involving "Fraud by wire, radio, or television". This was the lead charge for 24.1 percent of all magistrate filings in March.
Other frequently prosecuted lead charges include: "18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud" (19%), "18 USC 1028 - Fraud and related activity - id documents" (12.1%).
White Collar Crime Prosecutions in U.S. District Courts
In March 2026, 282 defendants in new cases for these matters were charged in the U.S. District Courts. In addition during March there were an additional 24 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 March.
Top Ranked Lead Charges
Table 2 shows the top lead charges recorded in the prosecutions of white collar crime matters filed in U.S. District Court during March 2026.
Lead Charge Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago 18 USC 1343 - Fraud by wire, radio, or television 104 1 1 1 More 18 USC 1349 - Mail Fraud - Attempt and Conspiracy 33 2 3 2 More 26 USC 7206 - Fraud and False statements 23 3 10 11 More 18 USC 641 - Public money, property or records 20 4 5 6 More 18 USC 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US 14 5 4 5 More 18 USC 1344 - Bank Fraud 14 5 2 3 More 18 USC 1347 - Health Care Fraud 11 7 12 4 More 18 USC 1029 - Fraud and related activity - access devices 7 8 13 9 More 18 USC 1542 - False statement in application and use of passport 6 9 21 31 More 18 USC 1708 - Theft or receipt of stolen mail matter generally 5 10 19 28 More 18 USC 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments 5 10 17 19 More Table 2. Top Charges Filed
"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 2 five years ago.
Ranked 3rd was "Fraud and False statements" under Title 26 U.S.C Section 7206. "Fraud and False statements" under Title 26 U.S.C Section 7206 was ranked 10 a year ago.
Among these top ten lead charges, the one showing the greatest increase in prosecutions — up 77.6 percent — compared to one year ago was Title 18 U.S.C Section 1347 that involves " Health Care Fraud ". Compared to five years ago, the largest increase — 185.7 percent — was registered for prosecutions under " False statement in application and use of passport " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1542 ).
Again among the top ten lead charges, the one showing the sharpest decline in prosecutions compared to one year ago — down 52.6 percent — was " Theft or receipt of stolen mail matter generally " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1708 ). Compared to five years ago, the most significant decline in prosecutions — 63.2 percent — was for filings where the lead charge was " Fraud and related activity - access devices " (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1029 ).
Top Ranked Judicial Districts
In March 2026 the Justice Department's case-by-case records show that the government brought 108 white collar crime prosecutions for every ten million people in the United States.
Understandably, there is great variation in the per capita number of white collar crime prosecutions that are filed in each of the nation's ninety-four federal judicial districts.
The districts registering the largest number of prosecutions per capita for these matters last month are shown in Table 3. Districts must have at least 5 white collar crime prosecutions to receive a ranking.
Judicial District Percapita Count Rank 1yr ago 5yrs ago Nebraska 1,735 29 1 78 55 More D. C. 854 5 2 38 50 More W Virg, N 645 5 3 72 73 More Tenn, W 463 6 4 42 80 More La, E 437 6 5 57 18 More Mo, E 410 10 6 5 15 More Ind, N 315 7 7 64 80 More Texas, E 287 11 8 32 18 More Cal, S 241 7 9 27 32 More Nevada 220 6 10 70 34 More Table 3. Top 10 Districts (per ten million people)
The District of Nebraska — with 1735 prosecutions as compared with 108 prosecutions per ten million population in the United States — was the most active during March 2026.
The District of Washington, D.C. (Washington) ranked 2nd.
Northern District of West Virginia (Wheeling) is now ranking 3rd.
Recent entrants to the top 10 list were Southern District of California (San Diego), now ranked 9th , and Eastern District of Texas (Tyler) at 8th In the same order, these districts ranked 27th and 32nd one year ago and 32nd and 18th five years ago.
The federal judicial district which showed the greatest growth in the rate of white collar crime prosecutions compared to one year ago — 350 percent — was Nebraska . Compared to five years ago, the district with the largest growth — 540 percent — was Northern District of Indiana (South Bend).
In the last year, the judicial District Court recording the largest drop in the rate of white collar crime prosecutions — 50 percent — was Washington, D.C. (Washington). But over the past five years, Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans) showed the largest drop — 50 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 of this type during March 2026 are shown in Table 4.
Judge Count Rank Brady, Holly Ann Ind, N 5 1 More Autrey, Henry Edward Mo, E 5 1 More Love, John D. Texas, E 5 1 More Moore, Kevin Michael Fla, S 4 4 More Salinas, Catherine M. Ga, N 4 4 More Mazzant, Amos L. Texas, E 4 4 More England, John H., III Ala, N 3 7 More Rodgers, Margaret Catharine Fla, N 3 7 More Parker, Thomas Lee Robinson Tenn, W 3 7 More Moorer, Terry Fitzgerald Ala, S 2 10 More Walter, John F. Cal, C 2 10 More Nunley, Troy Lynne Cal, E 2 10 More Underhill, Stefan R. Conn 2 10 More Berger, Wendy Williams Fla, M 2 10 More Williams, Kathleen Mary Fla, S 2 10 More Gayles, Darrin Phillip Fla, S 2 10 More Becerra, Jacqueline Fla, S 2 10 More Doughty, Terry Alvin La, W 2 10 More Boal, Jennifer C. Mass 2 10 More Sorokin, Leo T. Mass 2 10 More Cogburn, Max Oliver, Jr. N Car, W 2 10 More Gordon, Andrew Patrick Nevada 2 10 More Newman, Michael J. Ohio, S 2 10 More Wyrick, Patrick Robert Okla, W 2 10 More Corker, Clifton Leland Tenn, E 2 10 More Barker, J. Campbell Texas, E 2 10 More Pittman, Mark Timothy Texas, N 2 10 More Adelman, Lynn S. Wisc, E 2 10 More Table 4. Top Ten Judges
A total of 7 out of the "top ten" judges were in districts which were in the top ten with the largest number of white collar crime filings per capita, while the remaining 21 judges were from other districts. (Because of ties, there were a total of 28 judges in the "top ten" rankings.)
Judges Holly Ann Brady in the Northern District of Indiana (South Bend), Henry Edward Autrey in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis) and John D. Love in the Eastern District of Texas (Tyler) ranked 1st with 5 defendants in white collar crime cases.
Report Generated: May 21, 2026
