Those who have been charged with embezzlement need to know, first and foremost, that it is a theft charge. Embezzlement is just a type of theft, and these are the charges that typically result.
That being said, it is much different than many other types of theft. It’s important to understand these differences as the case moves forward.
Position of trust
To start with, someone who commits embezzlement typically needs to have a position of trust first. They then use this trust to misappropriate funds.
For example, someone could be charged with theft if they simply break into a store and steal items. But a worker at that store could be charged with embezzlement if they are in charge of delivering the cash deposits to the bank at the end of the night, and they start skimming money off the top for themselves.
Larger amounts of money
Another thing that sets embezzlement apart is that it often involves larger totals than theft. Many times, embezzlement schemes will happen for months or even years before they are discovered, which could result in the transfer of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Covering the paper trail
Often, embezzlement is discovered because there’s a paper trail, so part of the crime is attempting to cover this up. An example of this could be if the employee who has stolen the money works as an accountant for the business. They have access to the books, so they try to change the figures in those books to make them match up with the new totals after the theft has been committed.
Are you facing allegations of theft or embezzlement? The ramifications can be life-altering, so be sure you know what legal options you have.