Embezzlement is a form of white collar crime where a defendant, who has been entrusted to manage someone else’s money or property steals all or a part of that money for personal gain. Depending on the scale of the crime, embezzlement can be prosecuted on the state or federal level and may involve large fines and imprisonment.
In the face of embezzlement charges, you can trust us to provide the skilled and diligent representation you deserve.
Embezzlement – State or Federal Offense?
Embezzlement can be committed on a small or large scale; for example, it can be as minor as a store clerk pocketing a few dollars here and there from a cash register, whereas on a large scale, executives of a large company can transfer millions of dollars into personal accounts.
On the state level, embezzlement is criminalized under Ohio Rev. Code § 2913.02. For example:
- If the money or property is worth less than $1,000, the penalties include a fine of up to $1,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both.
- If the money or property stolen involves $7,500, or more, but less than $150,000, the penalties include up to a $5,000 fine, up to 18 months in prison, or both.
Federal embezzlement charges are covered under U.S. Code – Chapter 31: Embezzlement and Theft. There are numerous offenses that fall under embezzlement on the federal level, some of which include embezzling of public money, theft by a bank officer, and embezzlement of an employee benefit plan.
In federal courts, penalties are highly dependent on the facts of a case. Our team can help you learn more about potential penalties under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (USSG § 2b1.1) and how they work in federal fraud cases.
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