Embezzlement is not your typical theft-based criminal offense. When a person embezzles, they don’t hold up someone with a gun or break into their home to take their property. Instead, embezzlement involves misappropriating funds or assets that were entrusted to them by an employer or other party.
If you have been accused of embezzling funds, the consequences of a conviction can be devastating. The good news is that you have the right to fight these charges with the help of our skilled defense attorneys. Talk to our Cranberry Township embezzlement lawyer at Benjamin Levine Law today to discuss your defense options.
At its core, the crime of embezzling is about misappropriating assets you have been entrusted with. This means taking funds that you are entitled to use in your official capacity and diverting them to your own purposes. This offense involves a person in a position of trust allegedly misusing their official role to profit.
This crime can happen in countless settings. Often, it involves an employee taking advantage of an employer. This could be a person in accounting who diverts funds or alters financial records in their favor.
Professionals can also be accused of embezzling from clients. This could include accountants, lawyers, or others who hold client funds or property. Even business partners could be charged if they misuse the assets of their co-owned business. Our Cranberry Township embezzlement attorneys are here to fight for anyone accused of this offense.
It is natural to feel overwhelmed when facing these charges, but the right strategy could help you walk away without a conviction. Some of the strategies our embezzlement lawyers in Cranberry Township rely on include the following:
Embezzlement cases often involve complex financial records, and the documentation needed to prove that funds were misused can be extensive. If the prosecution cannot produce evidence linking you to the missing money, our attorneys could argue that the Commonwealth has not proved your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If the defendant’s rights were violated during the investigation, critical evidence against you may be excluded. Violations of the Fourth, Fifth, or Sixth Amendments can severely damage the prosecution’s case and may lead to a suppression of evidence or even a dismissal.
You may have a viable entrapment defense if you can show that the police coerced you into embezzling funds when you would not have otherwise committed this crime. While this strategy is rarely used, it can be viable in cases involving undercover officers or police informants.
Some embezzlement prosecutions are based entirely on misunderstandings. These issues can arise when you had authorization to complete the transaction in question, but unclear corporate structures led to confusion.
Embezzlement requires a specific intent to defraud the person who placed you in a position of trust. If you can demonstrate that the action was accidental or based on a belief that you were authorized to complete the transaction, the prosecution may not be able to prove criminal intent.
Accusations of embezzlement have to be taken seriously, as a criminal conviction could alter your life forever. Instead of facing these challenges on your own, let our Cranberry Township embezzlement lawyers advocate on your behalf. Our attorneys are former prosecutors, and we can use that experience to help you get the outcome you deserve. Call Benjamin Levine Law today to learn more.