Most of us grew up being told the same things by our parents—especially our mothers: Don’t lie. Don’t cheat. Don’t steal. At least, that was true in my generation. So when people hear about white‑collar crime, they often assume the perpetrators must be fundamentally different from the rest of us. Greedy. Sociopathic. Wired wrong. That assumption is comforting—and dangerously wrong. After decades of investigating financial crimes, I can tell you this: most white‑collar criminals do not see themselves as criminals at all. They believe, in their heart of hearts, that they are good people who were placed in impossible situations. …
How Ordinary People Rationalize Extraordinary CrimesRead More