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Criminal Defense

Economic & White-Collar Crime Defense in Chile

Fraud, misappropriation, tax and corporate offense cases are won or lost on the numbers — we bring the accounting analysis and the legal defense together.

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Overview

What this involves

Economic crime cases in Chile rarely turn on a single dramatic piece of evidence. They turn on whether the prosecution's reconstruction of transactions, transfers and accounting entries actually supports the charge — and that is a question for a forensic accountant working alongside defense counsel, not a lawyer alone.

We defend individuals and companies, coordinate the forensic accounting work these cases require, and where the client is a company, assess the separate question of corporate criminal liability under Law 20.393.

What we handle

Fraud defense

Challenging the prosecution's theory of deception and financial loss, transaction by transaction.

Misappropriation

Cases involving funds or assets held in trust or under a fiduciary duty — director, agent or employee positions.

Tax offenses

Defense in cases pursued by the tax authority, coordinated with the accounting review the case requires.

Corporate offenses

Where the company itself faces liability, assessing exposure under Law 20.393 alongside individual defense.

Forensic accounting coordination

Bringing in certified auditors to trace the money and test the prosecution's financial reconstruction.

From anywhere

How we run this for a client abroad

Assessment first

You send the documents you have. We tell you what applies, what it costs and how long it takes — before you commit to anything.

Power of attorney

Granted at a Chilean consulate or apostilled where you live. It lets us act for you in Chile without you travelling for every step.

We act, you get updates

Our attorneys and forensic accountants handle the filings and analysis in Chile. You get plain-English updates at every stage.

FAQ

Economic & White-Collar Crime — common questions

What English-speaking clients ask us most about this specific service.

What counts as white-collar crime in Chile?

The category covers fraud, misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty, tax offenses, corporate offenses and related conduct — usually built on paper trails rather than physical evidence. Cases frequently hinge on accounting records, so the defense typically runs alongside a forensic accounting review rather than legal argument alone.

Can a company itself be charged, not just an individual?

Yes. Chilean law imposes criminal liability directly on companies for a defined list of offenses committed for their benefit, separately from any liability of the individuals involved. Whether the company had an implemented crime-prevention model under Law 20.393 is often the central question in that liability analysis.

What role does a forensic accountant play?

A forensic accountant traces the money — reconstructing transactions, identifying discrepancies and testing the prosecution's financial theory of the case. In economic crime, that analysis often does more to shift the outcome than courtroom argument alone, which is why we bring in certified auditors alongside the legal defense.

What penalties apply to economic crime convictions?

Penalties vary widely by offense and amount involved, ranging from fines and disqualification from holding certain positions up to custodial sentences for the most serious cases. Restitution and cooperation can materially affect the outcome, which is part of why an early, honest assessment matters more here than in most criminal matters.

Talk to an economic crime lawyer in Chile

Get an initial assessment in English — confidential, with no obligation.

Book your consultation now →

WhatsApp+56 9 5217 5304

Emailhola@oklegal.cl

HoursMon–Sat 09:00–20:00