LAWS AGAINST CRIMINAL conspiracies were primarily enacted to combat organized crime. The crime of conspiracy is constituted by the agreement to act in concert with one or more persons to commit a crime. Agreement is the crime, and anyone consenting to participate can be criminally charged even if she did not carry out her part for the commission of the crime. Courts recognize people in a conspiratorial relationship have a much greater chance of successfully engaging in and covering-up more profitable and destructive offenses than a lone offender.

Many corporate crimes require a conspiratorial arrangement. Not only does the criminal conspiracy increase the odds of attaining an illegal goal, but it also brings the greater resources of a corporation to assist. Consequently white-collar crimes occurring in ...