Most white collar cases in Phoenix are prosecuted by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO), which handles felonies committed in Maricopa County. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office prosecutes cases referred from state agencies (Securities Division, Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, Department of Revenue, AHCCCS), multi-county schemes, and matters with statewide impact. Different units have different priorities and policies, which affects negotiation strategy.

ARS § 13-2310 is Arizona’s broadest white collar statute. It makes it a Class 2 felony to knowingly obtain any benefit by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises, or material omissions. The statute is intentionally broad, allowing prosecutors to charge nearly any fraud-based conduct. With a Class 2 felony designation, sentencing exposure runs up to 12.5 years prison plus restitution. It is often charged alongside theft, forgery, and money laundering counts.

No. Theft under $1,000 in Arizona is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and many lower-level fraud and forgery offenses can be charged as misdemeanors depending on the dollar amount and circumstances. However, most white collar offenses with meaningful loss amounts, fraud schemes, identity theft, money laundering, and securities fraud are charged as felonies and carry significant prison exposure.

Multi-count white collar indictments are common. Under Arizona law, counts can be consecutive or concurrent at the sentencing judge’s discretion. Even if individual counts carry probation-eligible exposure, stacked counts can quickly add up to substantial prison time. Reducing the count structure during negotiation is often as important as challenging the merits.

Restitution is mandatory in Arizona white collar cases under ARS § 13-603(C). Restitution orders survive bankruptcy and follow the defendant for life. Strategically resolving restitution, contesting loss amount, and negotiating payment terms is often as important as the sentence itself. Restitution can also affect probation eligibility and the length of any probation term.

Yes. White collar charges can be dismissed through pre-indictment intervention, prosecution declinations, motions to dismiss for failure to state an offense, statute of limitations defenses, suppression of key evidence, constitutional violations, and proof problems on the intent element. The earlier counsel is involved, the more options exist, particularly pre-indictment.

Asset forfeiture allows the State to seize property allegedly traceable to criminal activity under ARS §§ 13-4301 to 13-4315. In white collar cases, this can include bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, and businesses. Forfeiture can be civil (in rem, against the property) or criminal (against the person). Both routes have procedural defenses, including innocent owner defenses, lack of nexus, and proportionality challenges. We fight forfeiture aggressively in every case.

No, and you should not. You have a Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and a Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Politely decline the interview, take the investigator’s card, and call a white collar defense lawyer immediately. Anything you say can be used against you, and knowingly false statements to state investigators can support additional charges.

A target notification from MCAO or the Arizona AG means you are the focus of a state grand jury investigation. It typically invites you to meet with the prosecutor or testify before the grand jury. Never respond on your own. Call a white collar defense lawyer immediately. The pre-indictment window is the most powerful opportunity to avoid charges entirely or shape the charges that get filed.

Possibly. Many professional licenses, medical, legal, real estate, accounting, insurance, contracting, are subject to discipline based on criminal charges and convictions, sometimes based on the underlying conduct alone. Coordinated defense across the criminal case and licensing board is essential. We work to minimize licensing exposure throughout the criminal defense.

Arizona state white collar investigations can run from several months to several years. Multi-victim fraud, securities, and complex theft investigations typically take 12 to 24 months before charges are filed, though some run much longer. The pre-indictment window is when the most defense work happens, document preservation, witness preparation, defense memoranda to prosecutors, and pre-indictment negotiations.

White collar defense varies significantly based on complexity. Simpler state theft or forgery cases typically range $5,000 to $25,000. Complex Class 2 fraudulent schemes, multi-count securities, or large-loss embezzlement cases range $25,000 to $150,000+ depending on case size, document volume, length of investigation, and trial readiness. Tamou Law Group offers transparent fee structures, payment plans for many cases, and free initial consultations.

Criminal defense exclusively, deep experience with Arizona white collar cases, pre-indictment intervention, state grand jury practice, target notification response, search warrant defense, and parallel Arizona regulatory matters. A team that includes former prosecutors and law enforcement who built and investigated complex financial crime cases. Fast, discreet, confidential response and aggressive trial-ready advocacy across Phoenix and Maricopa County.