When people hear the words ‘criminal conspiracy’ the first thoughts that tend to spring to mind include assassination plots or an elaborate plan to overthrow a government. However, this article will attempt to help you re-imagine the way you think of the criminal world.
To do this, we’ll be introducing you to some everyday offences committed in the world of business. To start with, however, we’ll explain the basics of conspiracy law in the UK. Take a look…
What is a Criminal Conspiracy?
A criminal conspiracy involves two or more people getting together and conspiring to commit an unlawful act. Irrespective of whether the plan is actually carried out, those found guilty of conspiring can face charges and jail time.
Additionally, a specific action an individual plays in the plan does not have to be the criminal act itself (for instance physically robbing a bank) to be charged. Even playing minor parts in the planning of the crime is considered unlawful and you can face the same punishment as the perpetrators who carried out the crime.
How Does this Affect the Business World?
Criminal conspiracies are all too common in the business sector, from more recently established crimes such as cyber threats to more traditional unlawful acts such as forgery and corruption. Below, we take a look at some of the most frequently committed criminal conspiracies…
1. Commercial Burglary
Conspiring to commit a commercial burglary is where two or more people get together and plan how to enter a business’ building with the intention to commit theft, harm or damage to the property. According to UK crime stats, in 2018 there were 606,282 commercial break-ins in England and Wales alone, further illustrating how common this type of crime really is.
2. Threats and Violence Against Staff Members
Threats and violence against staff members in a business can include anything from name-calling and bullying to conspiring to commit physical assault. In the UK, HSE found an estimated 688,000 incidents of violence at work, comprising of 299,000 assaults and 389,000 threats from 2019-2020.
3. Arson
Conspiring to commit arson is where individuals intend to start a fire in order to damage or destroy something. When perpetrated against commercial properties, arson can be devastating for businesses, and can lead to a loss of production and unemployment. In the UK, recent statistics found that there are an estimated 3,000 arson attacks on businesses every year.
4. Business Fraud
Business fraud can involve a person or an entity purposefully trying to impersonate the identity of another individual or business to gain knowledge, financial advantages or other benefits. A common example of this is where a person or entity uses the name of a reputable organisation in order to raise money from the public.
5. Cybercrimes
A cybercrime is any criminal act that involves digital technology, for instance computers or networks. When targeted towards a business, hackers may conspire to steal corporate information, financial information or money.
Cyber-attacks can cost the business their reputation, as it can damage trust in their consumer relationships, as well as loss of customers, sales and a reduction in profit. According to a recent government survey, 39% of UK businesses identified a cyber-attack in the last year with 31% of these companies estimating they were affected at least once a week. An additional 1 in 5 say they experienced a negative outcome as a result of the attack.
6. Money Laundering
Money laundering is the process of a business attempting to blend illegally acquired money with legitimate takings. In doing so, businesses can hide the source of the illegal funds from law enforcement and financial regulators, and help make the appearance of the funds appear more legitimate.
Those who conspire to commit money laundering tend to use heavily cash-based businesses, such as casinos and tanning salons, in order to mask the origin of their money.
7. Bribery
Bribery in business involves an entity offering money or something of value in order to sway or influence another business, decision or process. This could involve bribing public officials or regulators in order to win contracts or expedite processes. In the UK, a company found guilty of committing bribery can face jail sentences of up to 10 years and/or a fine.
8. Forgery
Conspiring to commit forgery in business can include altering existing documents or making false documents with the intent of cheating people or organisations. Documents that can forged include, contracts, receipts and negotiable instruments.
9. Corruption
In business, common forms of corruption can include bribery, nepotism and cronyism. In conspiring to commit such a crime, an individual or entity is abusing their official position and power in the business, and consequently stunts progress as well as damaging the company’s reputation.
10. Business Espionage
Business espionage involves the theft of ideas, knowledge, or data from another individual, entity or organisation. Typically, the victim of such a crime tends to be a competitor so that the perpetrator can advance their own financial and technological interest or find out trade secrets. Those found guilty of such a crime can be fined a hefty sum and prison sentence.
Criminal Conspiracy in the Business Sector
From corruption to theft, there’s a whole host of different criminal conspiracies in the business world attacking companies both internally and externally. Whether you work for a big multinational company or you’re a small business owner, it is important to take steps to protect your company’s assets.
You can do this in a number of ways, from bringing in sufficient cybersecurity training to familiarising you and your employees or co-workers on laws and regulations.