If you suspect you are the subject of an FBI investigation for a white collar crime, you should familiarize yourself with the operation of the federal criminal justice system. According to the FBI, a federal law enforcement agency will investigate crimes brought to its attention to determine whether an offense happened and who is responsible.
Federal agencies will only investigate your alleged crime if there is reason to believe that your actions violated a federal law.
Understand the pretrial stage
Every alleged federal violation passes through the federal criminal justice process. The pretrial stage of this process includes investigations, grand juries and arrests. As part of the investigation into your alleged white collar crimes (e.g., fraud, embezzlement or bribery), agents must obtain documents. To get these materials, a judge will issue a search warrant or the federal agents will request a subpoena from a grand jury.
A grand jury is responsible for examining the validity of the alleged crime, determining whether an offense exists and deciding who committed it. The grand jury will use its subpoena power to collect evidence to make a decision and issue an indictment if needed.
Run your business as usual
During the period of investigation, ensure that your business is operating the way it should. Review the daily processes of your business operations, adjusting if needed. Evaluate your personnel to check that their training is current and they follow protocol while working.
Throughout the investigation and pretrial stage, always remember you have the rights to remain silent and to counsel.