EMBEZZLEMENT
Boston Embezzlement Attorney / Embezzlement Lawyer in Massachusetts
Embezzlement is a theft crime. It means that you are accused of misappropriating funds entrusted to you for personal gain. Embezzlement often involves an employee who had access to certain financial accounts, as opposed to a person charged with larceny who never had legal access to the funds or goods in the first place. A qualified Boston embezzlement lawyer like Joseph B. Simons will build a case in your defense and advocate on your behalf.
In order to convict you of embezzlement, the prosecution must prove:
- While in a position of trust or confidence, you were entrusted with possession of personal property belonging to someone else;
- You took or hid that property, or converted it to your own use without the owner’s consent; and
- You did so with the intention of permanently depriving the owner of his property
Embezzlement of property valued over $250 is a felony. The maximum penalty is 5 years in state prison and/or a $25,000 fine. Avoid these harsh punishments with help from a Boston embezzlement lawyer like Joseph B. Simons.
The prosecution often has an extensive paper trail in these cases. But that evidence can be deceptive or non-specific, and significant deficiencies can be raised in your defense. Perhaps someone else took the money. Maybe it was a misunderstanding, and you thought you were legally entitled to the money. Or it could have been an accounting error.
It is possible for innocent acts to be misread as crimes. It can also be easy to unintentionally help law enforcement build a case against you, even if you have done nothing wrong. Clients sometimes do this in an attempt to “cooperate” and clear themselves without hiring an attorney. Do not fall into this trap.
For defense services from a qualified Boston embezzlement lawyer helping clients across Massachusetts, get in touch with the law office of Joseph B. Simons.
