History of White-collar Crime  Although forms of bribery and
embezzlement or even monopolistic price fixing surely outdate
recorded history, the earliest documented case of white-collar
crime law dates back to 15th century England. The law, enacted
in 1473, was a response to embezzlement or larceny in what's
known as the Carrier's Case, a situation where the agent
entrusted to transport wool attempted to steal some of it for
himself [source: Salinger].  However, white-collar crime didn't
garner much public attention until it became more widespread
after the Industrial Revolution in Western industrial societies.
As companies rose in power, they were able to squelch
competitors and then implement monopolistic policies without
fear of being outsold by other companies. The public became
enraged when they had to pay outrageously high prices for
something that was previously cheap, for no reason other than
corporate greed. But, under the law, manufacturers weren't doing
anything wrong -- it was perfectly legal. How