These White Collar Crimes Come With Felony Penalties in Tennessee

 Posted on November 06, 2025 in White Collar Crimes

Some people tend to think that white collar crimes are not as serious as other criminal offenses, especially violent ones. However, many white collar crimes come with penalties that are just as strict or even stricter. If you have been accused of a financial crime or a fraud offense, reach out to a Blount County, TN criminal defense lawyer.

Jeffrey Coller, Knoxville Criminal Defense Attorney can represent you in court to take on allegations of felony white collar crime offenses. With over a decade of legal experience, Attorney Coller can give you a clear idea of the charges you face and how to respond to prosecution.

What White Collar Crimes Can Be Prosecuted as Felony Crimes?

Embezzlement

In criminal law, embezzlement refers to misappropriating funds entrusted to you by another party, usually from your own employer. This could cover a wide variety of illegal conduct, like making personal purchases on a company credit card or falsifying overtime hours. 

Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-103, embezzlement is prosecuted under Tennessee’s general theft statute. The penalties depend on the value of the property or funds involved. According to § 39-14-105, theft of property worth more than $1,000 is a Class E felony, punishable by one to six years in prison and fines up to $3,000. Higher-value offenses can be charged as Class D, C, or even B felonies, with longer sentences and larger fines.

A skilled white collar crime attorney can challenge how much money is alleged to have been taken, whether the act was intentional, or whether there was a misunderstanding rather than a criminal act.

Money Laundering

In Tennessee, the act of money laundering refers to knowingly using (or trying to or conspiring to use) illegally obtained funds for a transaction to cover up the origin of those funds. Other criminal conduct involving unlawfully obtained money, like a business trying to commingle unlawful proceeds, could be charged as money laundering.

Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-901, penalties depend on the type of conduct. If a business knowingly allows its property to be used to conceal criminal proceeds, it commits a Class E felony, punishable only by a fine of up to $5,000 and possible forfeiture of property. However, using the proceeds of a crime to promote or further illegal activity is treated much more severely as a Class B felony, carrying 8 to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.

Bribery of a Public Servant

Making a bribe to a public servant, or accepting a bribe as a public servant, is a serious crime in Tennessee. It does not matter if any transaction actually occurred. Under state law, you could face Class B felony charges for merely agreeing to a bribe.

Any offer with a "pecuniary benefit" to a public servant could be interpreted as a bribe if it was intended to influence a vote or judgment. If you have been accused of accepting or offering a bribe, an attorney may question whether or not there was a real offer made with money, property, or other economic gains.

Contact a Knox County, TN White Collar Crime Defense Lawyer

Jeffrey Coller, Knoxville Criminal Defense Attorney understands how white collar crimes are prosecuted in Tennessee, and he can aggressively advocate for your rights in court. To set up a free consultation with our Blount County, TN criminal defense attorney, call our offices at 865-281-1000 today.