Citation

Brody RG, Perri FS. J. Financ. Crime 2016; 23(4): 786-797.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing)

DOI

10.1108/JFC-09-2015-0043

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

PURPOSE - The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of suicide, a violent act against one's self, as it relates to white- and red-collar crimes. White-collar crime can be described as nonviolent crime committed for financial gain. Red-collar crime describes a situation where a white-collar criminal commits an act of violence, often murder, to silence someone who is in a position to report a fraud they have perpetrated. Previous research has not addressed the issue of suicide, as it relates to white- and red-collar crime.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH - The analysis is conceptual, focusing on the historical underpinnings of white- and red-collar crime and reviewing the evolution of white-collar criminals. Sources of information consisted of published news media, scholarly articles and articles retrieved from the web.

FINDINGS - A suicide may be linked, directly or indirectly, to a financial crime. Law enforcement must be careful not to jump to conclusions, as there is a possibility that a staged suicide has occurred.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE - Law enforcement individuals may want to consider an additional motive when investigating a suicide, especially when the victim has some type of connection to a known fraud. This type of connection may not be readily apparent and may require a new approach on the part of a law enforcement investigation. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Language: en

Keywords

Suicide; Red-collar crime; White-collar crime