Embezzlement is a serious crime
and the consequences depend on the particulars of the case itself. According to
criminal defense lawyers, embezzlement is the crime of property theft and is
outlawed in every state. In layman words, embezzlement is when a person who has
been given the responsibility of handling or holding onto someone’s money or
property unlawfully steals all or part of the money or property in order to
increase personal wealth, etc.
This is not that different on how The
Clinton Foundation enriched themselves and their organization when Hillary
Clinton was the Secretary of State.
In legal terms, embezzlement is a crime
since despite the taker having access to the money or property of the owner he
or she did not have the legal rights or ownership over said money or property.
Combine this with the fact that the stealing or theft that occurred was a
violation of the special position of trust, it makes the crime of embezzlement
even more serious say criminal defense attorneys.
Embezzlement is a crime that can happen
under several different scenarios or circumstances. To give you an idea of
embezzlement, we can take the quintessential example of a bank employee who has
access to his or her clients’ money. He uses this access to unlawfully steal
and run away with some or all of the money. You saw this with Le Chiffre, a
French financial supporter of terrorism, in Casino Royale (much better than
Spectre) (he was taking the Ugandan Warlord’s money and using it to gamble) and
he ended up paying the ultimate price for this deception. Good riddance! He was
gambling with his own life on that one!
Furthermore, depending on the state of
jurisdiction, the suspect’s prior criminal record, whether or not there were
any aggravating factors involved, and the value of the property stolen, the
consequences may differ. Embezzlement often (in most states at least) results
in jail time.
What are the repercussions of
embezzlement?
Jail time and/or a hefty fine are almost
a certainty for anyone convicted of embezzlement even if their previous
criminal record is clean. Every state, however, follows a slightly different
penalty table and the consequences may vary from state to state. For example,
in California, embezzlement of property of a value less than $950 will result
in a misdemeanor charge that attracts a fine of up to $1,000 and a prison term
of 6 months or less.
One the other hand, if the value is more
than $950 it is considered grand theft. This is also a misdemeanor charge that
comes with a jail sentence of up to 1 year. However, this could be extended for
up to 2 or 3 years for felony grand theft. If you have other previous convictions
such as a DUI or any other crime, the court is likely to consider
your record when announcing a sentence.
What are the factors which determine the
severity of the punishments for embezzlement?
The value of the stolen property – The
monetary value of the stolen property is assessed and needless to say, the
higher the value the more severe the consequences. State legislation will often
have a table or slab where the punishments for different value ranges will be
explicitly specified.
The type of property – In some states,
even the type of property that is stolen can make matters worse for the perpetrator
or suspect. For instance, if an ingredient such as anhydrous ammonia (something
that is often stolen by those that have access to it) is stolen, then it will
attract more stringent penalties since this is a key ingredient used in the
fabrication process of the highly addictive street drug – crystal
methamphetamine. You saw this in Breaking Bad!
If you have been charged with
embezzlement and you feel the charge is wrongful and need help defending
yourself, the best way to do so would be by finding a criminal defense lawyer as
soon as possible. That is not that hard at all if you click on any one of the
links above or this one right here: Criminal-Defense.USAttorneys.com.
Contact us if
you want. We will get back to you soon; sometimes within a couple of hours.
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