Blog Archive

The following archived blogs were the genesis of our support network for white-collar innocent spouses. What began as a small support group of 4 members, now has membership in the triple digits, with representation from four continents. In 2016, Lisa Lawler formed The White-Collar Wives Project as a platform to support and advocate on the behalf of non-offending white-collar spouses, and to join the ranks of those on the front lines of white-collar crime awareness and deterrence. Through many years of hard work and dedication, the WCWP is now widely recognized by esteemed professional associations, journalists, educators, national news media outlets, documentary filmmakers, and international television networks.

Archived Blogs (2013-2018)

Caught in the Crossfire - Elizabeth's Story - September 28, 2014

Guest Blog for Prisonist.org - September 2014 Guest Blog Prisonist.org

Up Against the Wall Motherf*ckers!! - 1/15/2018

As I begin my first blog of 2018, I want to wish my readers a very Happy New Year! Thank you to those who have shown interest in the subject of innocent spouses, and I invite all who want to gain a deeper understanding of our plight to follow me in the coming year. Readership of the White-Collar Wives Project blog has steadily increased over the years, and not only do I continue to reach my target audience of women who need information and support, (our international private support group is sadly thriving) but the blog is also read by attorneys, journalists, businessmen and women, university students and professors, compliance officers, and others around the world.

As you can plainly see by the title of this blog, I’m beginning the new year with a “tell it like it is” stance because as I enter my fifth year as an advocate, I am sad to report that open hunting season on innocent spouses continues unabated and with few holds barred. White-collar wives still face asset seizure and forfeiture without due process, insufficient notice, and in too many cases, no, notice whatsoever, and with little to no recourse to prevent such actions or to reclaim their fair share of marital assets post seizure. Also, innocent spouses are continuing to be treated like witless thugs rather than as the first victims of their husband’s crimes. The standout case for me from 2017 revolved around a woman who contacted me to say that at seven months pregnant, a federal agent opened her shower door and pressed a gun to her head, demanding she step out, naked. What was the point of this horrific invasion? Could they not wait until she wasn’t in the shower, naked? Or perhaps invite her to the police department and question her there? And why a gun to her head? Did they think she might have been armed in her shower or a flight risk? This treatment is as appalling as it is unacceptable. Other innocent spouses have had similar experiences and these tactics by law enforcement are frightening and unnecessary. Imagine if you will, your horror if you were safely at home and armed offices entered shouting, “Up against the wall motherfucker!” without a clue as to why this might be happening? This is not what was said by officers during the shower incident, however it’s not hard to imagine that this was the way in which it was experienced. Law enforcement needs to keep in mind that in many cases children are present and easily traumatized by what they are seeing when officers enter a home.

Innocent spouses are too often seen as guilty by association in the eyes of the law, and, also by the general population, rather than as victims. Why is this? Wives and children are shamed by their husband’s crimes and must suffer an array of extreme losses as a result of his actions. The acute breach of spousal trust and stability and the loss of shared assets due to civil seizure and forfeiture is just a part of the highly punitive fallout innocent spouses and children must endure for their husband’s actions.

Too many state and federal courts do not recognize a wife’s vested marital interest, but instead, diminish them as third parties rather than joint owners, and lay claim to their assets, negating ownership rights to their property. The courts accomplish this by taking assets into custody, without proof of being tainted or otherwise legitimate, and deem them “in rem” (guilty as a separate entity), without ever charging the innocent spouse of any crime. This legally separates an innocent spouse from her FAIR SHARE of assets. Seizing bank accounts, homes, vehicles, furniture, wedding rings, and anything else of value, before a finding of guilt for the defendant or proper notification to the innocent spouse, is in mine and other’s opinion, sanctioned government theft. It is well-known that most lose their assets under civil asset forfeiture because criminal asset forfeiture requires a finding of guilt before seizure. In civil seizure, there is no burden of proof by the court, and little chance of an owner recovering seized assets. I urge all innocent spouses to read the laws regarding civil and criminal asset seizure/forfeiture, 21 U.S. Code S 853 Criminal Forfeiture and 18 U.S. Code S 983 General rules for civil forfeiture proceedings. However, the most daunting evidence that the cards are stacked in the government’s favor when it comes to asset seizure/forfeiture is a legal memorandum from the Heritage Foundation titled, “A Comparison of Federal Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedures: Which Provides More Protections for Property Owners?” http://thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/2015/pdf/LM158.pdf. Please take the time to review this article carefully if you think you may be in danger of losing your own assets (or have already) due to a pending criminal case.

A spouse has a very small window to attempt to stop the seizure and put a claim in to the court for rightful ownership. However, that can only occur if proper notice of seizure is given. Too often the court does not give proper notice and the property is seized, leaving an innocent spouse essentially robbed of her right, interest, and ownership of her assets. In some cases, a court can give notice up to 60 days AFTER SEIZURE! When notice is given after the fact, it’s next to impossible to regain assets because the innocent spouse’s vested interest is overridden by the government’s vested interest which, according to law, kicks in the moment a crime is committed. How can one lay claim to their own property under these circumstances?

While there are avenues that might allow for an innocent spouse to protest this action, one would need legal representation and without any assets to pay for such representation, it is an uphill battle. Even if you were to obtain legal representation, there are too few attorneys who have the experience to win such a battle. To have all of your belongings taken from you in a blink of an eye, without notice, without the government showing any proof that assets may have been purchased with ill-gotten funds is an outrage! One is given a day in court for a traffic ticket but the innocent spouse who’s rightful assets are seized must forfeit them with little to no opportunity to rebut the seizure. The government is not even required to tie assets to ill-gotten funds. It is assumed that the property is guilty, and this assumption is all that’s needed to seize. Why take half a man’s assets when they can take his wife’s share too? Because it’s easy money and government sanctioned theft is like any other white-collar crime in that there’s opportunity, motive and rationalization. It’s an economical value by illegal transfer of assets, deviant behavior and it takes place in an organizational setting with legal access.

White-collar wives not only have to fight to keep their property they are also often faced with a myriad of other legal issues. In many cases, her beloved husband (aka, a man she hardly knows) has forged her signatures on tax returns, loans, and mortgage documents, leaving her culpable of a crime she had no knowledge of. In other cases, a spouse dies or disappears leaving her to deal with enormous tax bills she knew nothing about. A head of household can commit any number of crimes that a wife has no knowledge of until an indictment is issued. But why was she exposed in such a manner in the first place? Where are the controls for fraud? Shouldn’t signatures on legal documents ALWAYS require a notary? When one owns joint ownership in a property, shouldn’t both parties have to sign any legal document pertaining to that property? Occupational crimes are not only a violation against moral and civil society, but are also crimes against one’s own family.

Where is the justice in not allowing innocent spouses and children their due process? Innocent spouses are treated as appendages to their husband’s lives rather than individuals who also have legal rights of their own. It’s time to begin to examine marital law when it comes to asset forfeiture because vested spousal interest is legal, and that interest must be respected. To be clear, white-collar wives aren’t looking for sympathy. They’re looking for fair treatment and justice.

Corporate Crime Safety Nets - 2/12-17

It is not only rogue employees that commit white-collar crimes, but also corporations that promote malfeasance with far less to lose than the lone bad actor. Corporations have everything to gain by utilizing hard core results driven tactics that encourage unethical and illegal business practices and in many cases, employees simply "go along to get along" in order to keep an income flowing to support themselves and or their families. Workers have everything to lose when undertaking dangerous risks on behalf of their employers. As a former white-collar wife, I take great offense to the current corporate climate that places workers and families at great risk for the greater good of the company.

The motivation(s) to perform outside of proper procedure are similar for both the lone actor and the corporation. Greed. Each has the same intent of “getting ahead” at any cost for their own benefit, caring little about the consequence to others. However, this similarity stops at the point of risk and the ability to absorb high risk consequences. Most corporations have contingency plans in place for any number of risks and in many cases, they also enjoy the perks of DPAs, (Deferred Prosecution Agreements), and NPAs, (Non-Prosecution Agreements), in the event they must tango with the Feds. The Feds can't put an entire corporation in prison, but they can levy hefty fines. These agreements and fines are served up under the guise of justice. Although heavily fined, corporations can continue to operate while the Feds rake in billions of dollars in settlement fees. With ample funds to cover these settlements, corporations only have to endure the sting and embarrassment of their actions ever so briefly as the public has a short attention span and will look the other way in order to be able to continue to get the service/product they want without interruption. A small bruise on reputation is not enough to deter a loyal customer. Too big to fail corporations embrace this predictable behavior and incorporate them into their risk assessment plans. In American culture corporations do not lose customers unless a large portion of the population is directly affected in a negative way such as direct liability mass poisoning!!

Most large corporations can recover from hefty fines due to malfeasance because they are now required to keep capital reserves high in order to offset the risk acute loss poses to the economy at large, (too big to fail) thus they have a well-planned and paid for safety net. The public tends to reach angry mob status with banks but they are not angry enough to take their business elsewhere so there is also the built-in lazy depositor to fall back on come time for risk assessment. And finally, large corporations and financial institutions have deep pockets to hire the best defense teams and public relations firms’ money can buy to help them safely navigate through such troubled waters.

So how can the lone fraudster protect himself? He can't. Individual actors have no safety net. In fact, most lone actors perform fraud without ever fully considering the consequences. Wouldn't it be nice if an individual who has committed a financial crime could be offered the same DPA as that of a large corporation? Deferred prosecution agreements are rarely offered to those that act alone. Unlike the corporation, often lone actors lose everything as a result of their fraudulent behavior. The cost benefit ratio a corporation might analyze is far different from that of an individual's assessment of risk for the individual risks nothing short of total annihilation of self, family and sovereignty and his actions will forever strip him of his reputation both professionally as well as personally. Worst of all, his family will be left in acute destitution and displacement. What on earth could possibly be worth risking every aspect of a life worth living?

So, as the conversation continues regarding compliance and operational risk management, I urge compliance officers, (as well as individuals), to begin to asses risk not only on a monetary scale but on a personal scale as well. Corporations are made up of people. People who make decisions regarding risk and how to manage those risks and people who perform on behalf of the corporation. Enforcement of compliance to procedure over performance must be held above all else. It is a given that employees have an obligation to their employers to perform to the best of their abilities on behalf of the corporation. But corporations have an obligation not to place employees and their families at risk for the betterment of the corporation.

Overall, corporate America has been a very bad role model for the modern-day executive and small businesses by setting the tone that corruption pays and pays big. If you are a risk manager or compliance officer in need of an aggressive approach to operational risk management, please contact me. As a former white-collar wife and founder/ facilitator of The White-Collar Wives Project I can vividly illustrate the horrific real-life consequences families endure as a result of fraudulent corporate behavior and can offer a clear path to deterrence that guarantees results.

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease - 2016

When mechanisms begin to stop functioning properly, they either make a noise that begs attention, or they simply shut down and stop working. It's been proven time and again that the squeaky wheel is usually first in line to get the fix. Social activism is the squeak that makes the noise that promotes public awareness with the goal of getting the legislative grease it needs. At nearly sixty years old I've witnessed social activism at its best during the 1960's and '70's with the civil rights movement, protests against the war in Vietnam, as well as the women's liberation movement. These squeaks turned into groundswells and were heard loud and clear across the land. The personal is indeed the political but one must participate to affect change. Heather Booth was a bold, vital and fearless participant in the women's movement and continues to play an important role in social activism. Her quote, "If it's happening to other people it's not a personal problem, it's a social problem," inspired this blog piece.

Thousands of white-collar wives and children around the world are experiencing the confiscation of their homes and belongings and being cruelly stigmatized and humiliated through no fault of their own and with little to no recourse. They are shamed into the dark shadows of their lives where they willingly remain, quivering and paralyzed with the fear of what is to become of them and their children. Innocent spouses and children are not only experiencing a personal problem, but they are in fact also experiencing a social problem because it's happening to so many women around the world on an ongoing basis. Innocent women and their children are being cast out of their homes and out of their lives and left penniless because of the criminal deeds of their husband's and father's. This should be making headlines but because it is happening to women who formerly led comfortable and some even very comfortable lives in first world countries, it is of no consequence to the general public or the legal arena for that matter. In fact, the public often takes pleasure from this unique fall from grace unaware or uncaring of the fact that most white-collar wives are innocent of any wrongdoing. The only guilt they own is by association. Step carefully here because it could happen to you. Most of the women I represent were blindsided by their husband's crimes.

Although white-collar criminals come from all socioeconomic backgrounds the mere mention of a white-collar criminal congers up visions of bankers, stockbrokers and the like. But the truth is that white collar crime knows no professional or economic boundary. None the less, white collar wives are mostly seen as entitled, spoiled and undeserving of pity and in most cases are not considered victims at all. There is a misconception that all wives are somehow in on the scheme and therefore are deserving of being left with little if anything to survive on. Most wives know nothing of their husband's schemes and those that do have an inkling are powerless to intervene because men who perpetrate these kinds of crimes on an ongoing basis share a clinical personality disorder that is nearly impossible to penetrate with reason and almost always, incurable.

Women are losing access to their joint marital assets in legal firestorms which can and too often do end in complete forfeiture. This population is not afforded the courtesy of separating their fair share of marital assets but are instead losing the entirety of their personal assets to fines and victim restitution. But these women and children are victims too and are being punished in the extreme. Where is their day in court to stand for their innocence? Essentially, marriage makes a white-collar wife a party to her husband's crimes, but she has no recourse to protect herself against his actions. Instead of allocating an innocent spouse her fair portion of her marital assets, (untainted or otherwise) most women and children are forced onto welfare because long time stay at home mothers or under-trained older housewives who are suddenly forced into head of household provider status cannot easily find jobs or take the time for training. Also, most white-collar wives suffer from PTSD and are unable to function effectively. They don't have the medical insurance to help them cope with their trauma. White-collar wives are at the mercy of the courts to not leave them destitute but "the system" makes no provision for these women and children. They are treated like criminals and suffer extreme consequences. Families are the first victims of white-collar crime because of the acute betrayal of a husband and the emotional and financial ruin he has imposed upon them. They are inextricably tied to the criminal proceedings and ensuing consequences. Where is the due process for women in this scenario? Where are the attorneys to defend them? This "new area of the law" needs to be flushed out and put into action.

Many wives are inclined to stand by their husband either because they don't believe things will get as bad as they do, or they refuse to believe that their partner and father of their children could be "a bad guy." These women who do not disengage become forever entangled in their husband's legal snare. In mentoring so many white-collar wives I have come to know that although grim and life altering, my experience was less daunting than others. I am an advocate for white-collar families not only because of the devastation it caused my family but because of the gross miscarriage of justice innocent women and children must endure. The damage runs deep for all of us and at times can be utterly debilitating.

Change will never come about for the innocent spouse with just one lone voice. White-collar wives must withstand embarrassment and public scorn, real or imagined, and come forward and protest on their own behalf if any change is to come about. But where are they? Where is their squeak to gain the grease they so desperately need and deserve? Where are the voices of the victims of this most egregious trespass of rights? White collar wives are hiding in victim status, (and they are indeed victims), working hard at one or more jobs, sometimes menial jobs, to keep a roof over their and their children's heads as a result of having all their assets removed. They are in shock, they are ashamed, they are mired in fear and anxiety. They are exhausted. They are whispered about, pointed at and humiliated and broken. But they must make some noise to bring about change. I have been victimized. I have been shamed. I have been broken. I have been consumed with fear and anxiety. Yet I speak out for those who were/are too afraid. I can bring awareness, but I cannot bring change by myself. I am asking innocent spouses to fight for themselves and others as I have done so that our collective voices can be heard. I have provided the platform, but others must step up now to aid in the cause. please reach out and join our international support group where you will not only find acceptance and guidance, but you will also find your own voice.

I challenge white collar wives or family members or former white-collar criminals who read my blog, particularly this post, or those who are still hiding in the shadows to come forward from that hiding place you believe is protecting you but is in fact only hiding you in plain sight and causing you further harm and humiliation, to write a guest blog about your own experience. Your silence is not a squeak but rather a roar and tells us just how personal your own experience is. Your collective silence can never be heard, and your hiding will only guarantee that others will walk your same path of shame. There will be no change until there is unification and activation. It's time to make your personal very political. Make your struggle count for something. Stand up and fight for yours and your sister's rights for justice. The only purpose your silent struggle serves is to protect you from the shame of your husband's deeds. The reality is that you are hiding from nobody but yourselves and are helping to create a culture of guilt by association by not promoting your innocence which requires respect and not shame. Stand up and take up your space. I remember the hiding from the shame and how that only harmed me further. How is your shame and fear serving you? The worst has already happened. What else is there to fear? The fear of not knowing where your next dime is coming from or how to keep a roof over yours and your children's heads is all too real. You have lost so much. Isn't it time to gain something back? I cannot present one voice or simply one signature for change. So please squeak ladies. And squeak loudly and often to get the grease you deserve. If you don't ask for the grease you will not get any and simply shut down and stop spinning. It's your choice really. I began this blog three years ago by saying, "I know you're out there." Many have come forward to seek help and I am glad to offer a haven in our group. So come out, come out wherever you are and take a stand now for yourself and for your sisters.

For the past three years my squeaks have reached a wide audience and I hope I have been able to open minds and hearts to the plight of the white-collar wife. Many women have found their way to my, (now international), support group because of my writings and I am glad for that and so I consider my time here well spent. I hope others will continue to find this crack in the pavement over time so that they can squeeze through the door of enlightenment and community and get the help and support they so desperately need.

To whomever is reading this I hope you will make your personal political. Get involved with a cause that is close to your heart and try to promote justice wherever you can. Do your best always to make this world a better place. To do anything less is a failure of citizenship.

The Personal is the Political May 26, 2016

The Sins of the Father - April 27, 2016

Spring... - March 27, 2016

Divorce and White-Collar Crime -March 21, 2016

Part One - Divorce and White Collar Crime - March 9, 2015

The CNBC Guy - February 3, 2016

The Perils of Performance Over Procedure - December 2, 1015

Thanksgiving... - November 17, 2015

Build It and They Will Come - August 17, 2015

The Innocent Spouse and Civil Asset Seizure - March 5, 2015

The New Normal - January 4, 2015

White-Collar Crime Creates Big Compliance Industry - December 12, 2014