San Diego Criminal Lawyers Blog
Globally, the cost of cybercrimes is in the trillions of dollars each year. Across the United States, billions of dollars are lost to cybercrimes annually, making the investigation and prosecution of these crimes a huge priority for law enforcement. An FBI report called out that nearly 850,000 cases of cybercrime were reported in 2021, costing somewhere between one and 4% of the Gross National Product. The range of crimes was topped by cases of cryptocurrency scams, ransomware, and business e-mail compromise schemes (BEC). It is believed that the reported cases make up only a fraction of those that actually occurred. If you have been charged with committing cybercrimes in California, you need a hard-hitting, practical attorney fighting on your behalf right away.
What Constitutes Cybercrime?
Cybercrimes are those that occur using a computer. In addition to those mentioned previously, it could include:
- Intimidation or harassment of another person over social media;
- Computer hacking and identity fraud;
- Using a computer to complete illegal financial transactions, including money laundering;
- Luring victims into dangerous situations, phishing scams, and other kinds of fraud;
- Internet sex crimes, including the creation, download, and/or distribution of child pornography.
The Costs of Cybercrimes
Cybercrimes harm society in countless ways. Besides the obvious cost in dollars and cents to victims (the average ransomware payout is $300 thousand, for example), companies often suffer business disruption, data destruction, and the theft of coveted intellectual property. Both financial and personal data may be lost for good. Reputations are often damaged, and, in some cases, serious emotional anguish can accompany these crimes. And these are the consequences of individual attacks. Ted Koppel, a noted journalist, believes that a cyberattack on America’s power grid is not only possible—it is actually likely and could cause extensive damage– and Warren Buffet, a well-known philanthropist/businessman/billionaire, has stated that cybercrime is the number one problem facing mankind, describing it as a bigger threat than even nuclear weapons.
Penalties for Cybercrimes
Clearly, cybercrimes can be enormously destructive. Many cybercrimes can be charged at both the state and the federal level, which means criminal activity could lead to charges involving both the California attorney general and the FBI. At a minimum, offenders could face serious fines and months in jail. For felony charges, those fines could reach tens of thousands of dollars and decades in prison.
The Defense You Deserve
The accomplished, experienced criminal defense lawyers at Boertje & Associates always fight for the best possible outcomes for you. To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation in our San Diego office today.