Facing criminal charges of any kind is a serious threat to your future. If convicted, you could end up behind bars, paying expensive fines and dealing with the fallout that comes with damage to your personal reputation. Long-term, a conviction can impact things that include a college education, career opportunities and even child custody.
There are many reasons why a person should take any type of criminal charge seriously, including an embezzlement charge. Embezzlement is a type of white-collar crime, and while it may not seem like a big deal, it is. You would be wise to approach your case carefully and thoughtfully, preparing a strong defense and fighting the allegations against you.
What is embezzlement?
Embezzlement is a form of employee theft, and it can take many forms. It happens when an employee misappropriates funds that are not his or hers to use. This may seem like a victimless or minor crime, as it can go undetected for a while, but federal law takes this type of activity seriously. Most of the time, it is employees who commit embezzlement, but it can also happen when someone with a fiduciary duty misuses funds entrusted to him or her.
Financial fraud of any kind is a serious crime, but it is often difficult to investigate and prove. In order to have a case against you, the prosecution will have to present evidence of the following:
- There was a clear fiduciary relationship between two parties.
- The alleged embezzlement happened as a result of that fiduciary relationship.
- There must be evidence of a theft of property and transferal of that property.
- There is evidence that these actions were intentional.
As you can see, it can be quite complex to build a case for embezzlement. However, that does not mean that you should not take immediate steps to start developing your defense strategy as soon as you learn about the investigation into your activities.
Protecting your future
You do not have to wait until there are formal charges against you to start working on a defense strategy. If there is an investigation pending or you think there could be charges against you in the future, it is in your interests to take immediate action. You may want to reach out to an experienced Cincinnati defense advocate regarding your legal options and how you can protect your future interests.