DeKalb County Embezzlement Lawyer 

Embezzlement is a form of fraud that occurs when a person with legal authority to handle someone else’s money or property abuses their responsibility for their own personal gain. By embezzling, a person steals money from an employer or trust to increase their personal funds.

Embezzlement charges can invoke numerous penalties upon conviction and inflict irreversible damage on your reputation that would affect your ability to find work in the future. By enlisting a DeKalb County embezzlement lawyer to handle your charges, you could take a productive first step toward building a strong defense and dismissing the accusations against you.

Elements of Embezzlement Charges

Many situations could produce embezzlement allegations. Employees who take money or property from their employers do so in several ways, such as:

  • Stealing from a cash register
  • Charging more than a product is worth and stealing the difference
  • Adding funds to an expense account
  • Depositing vendor checks into a personal rather than business account
  • Taking office supplies or inventory for personal uses
  • Doctoring account books to hide money that was stolen or lost
  • Transferring money from a business account into a personal checking or savings account
  • Taking kickbacks or bribes
  • Putting faux employees on a company payroll
  • Adjusting employee time records

As a legal professional in DeKalb County could explain, embezzlement can also happen to property held in trust. For example, an individual who steals money in a Ponzi scheme has committed embezzlement, as has someone who alters financial records to disguise a misappropriation of funds. Other examples of embezzlement include borrowing money from a civic organization’s bank account, selling estate property and pocketing the earnings without regard for heirs, creating a credit card kiting scheme, and using a relative’s Social Security check.

Penalties for Embezzlement Under Georgia Law

According to Title 16, Chapter 8, Article 1, Section 12 of the Georgia Code, penalties vary based on the stolen property’s value and type. If the property involved is not monetary in nature, its market value is established through quotes from a supplier of reasonably similar property. If the property is worth $500 or less, it can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and or a one-year jail sentence. Property worth more than $500 comes with a fine of up to $1,000 and prison time ranging from one to 10 years.

If public money or property is embezzled in breach of a fiduciary duty, it could result in a fine of up to $100,000 and or one to 15 years’ imprisonment. Embezzling explosives or firearms can result in a one to 10-year prison sentence, while embezzling motor vehicle parts worth $100 could also result in the one to 10-year sentence. A DeKalb County attorney could explain that subsequent embezzlement offenses can include up to 20 years in prison if the defendant is convicted.

Speak with a DeKalb County Embezzlement Attorney Today

The stress surrounding embezzlement charges can make it challenging to know what step to take first. Contacting a DeKalb County embezzlement lawyer may be the most beneficial choice because they could ensure that you are aware of all your legal options. Contact a skilled professional today to learn more.