You may have heard the term embezzlement before, but what exactly does this word mean? The term embezzlement is defined in Penal Code 503 as “…the fraudulent appropriation of property by a person to whom it has been entrusted.”
For example, let's say David was the person in charge of the cash register at the local gas station. Instead of ringing a customer up in the register for a purchase, they instead void the purchase on their register and pocket the money instead. This form of embezzlement is called siphoning, which is the case when you keep some of the money that should have gone into the cash register.
Embezzlement can also take the form of falsifying the amount of time worked by an employee. The employee may state they worked when they did not, or the boss may clock out his employees even though they were still working. Either way, this is a falsification of time worked and can be considered embezzlement. Another form of this would be an employer having employees listed who are not even working there, such as friends or family members.
Another form is embezzlement is check-kiting. This takes place when a person writes a check against one account and then uses another account to provide funds to the first account. The problem is, neither account has funds in it so now another account may be used to "kite" the debt from one institution to another. This tends to snowball and become a large problem for the person who is writing the checks.
While these are only a few examples of what the law considers embezzlement, there are many other instances outside of these examples as well.
If you or a loved one has been arrested for embezzlement or the related criminal offense of “grant theft”, in Temecula, Menifee, Murrieta, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, Perris, Corona or any other surrounding Riverside County city, it's important that you obtain the best representation from an experienced criminal defense attorney. Contact our law office immediately to schedule a free and confidential consultation.