Miami Embezzlement Lawyer

Many cases of embezzlement involve money and conduct such as the following:

• Taking small amounts of money over long periods so the act goes largely unnoticed
• Taking large amounts of money in one setting and fleeing to avoid being caught
• Underreporting finances and keeping the difference to make it appear as 
  if nothing is amiss

It must be noted that anything of value can be embezzled – not just money.

Although embezzlement appears similar to theft, it is a separate offense. With theft, a person takes another’s property without having any lawful interest in it. In contrast, with embezzlement, the alleged embezzler lawfully had control over the assets but used them for unintended purposes.

What Is The Federal Law On Embezzlement?

As noted above, the basic conduct of embezzlement includes a fiduciary misappropriating asset they had the duty to protect. Yet, various settings exist in which this can occur, and the types of assets involved can differ for each offense. As such, the federal government does not have just one law concerning embezzlement. It has multiple. The statutes can be found in Chapter 31 of Title 18 of the United States Code.

A few of these statutes include, but are not limited to:

• 18 U.S.C. § 641: This law concerns embezzling anything of value under the control of the United States Government or one of its agencies or departments.
• 18 U.S.C. § 643: If an officer or employee of the U.S. Government or one of its agencies or departments receives public funds that are not for their salary, they must account for it. Otherwise, they can be prosecuted under this law.
• 18 U.S.C. § 644: This statute concerns situations where a banker who receives public money uses the funds unlawfully.
• 18 U.S.C. § 656: Bank officers of Federal Reserve banks, national banks, insured banks, and other specified financial institutions can be charged under this law for embezzling money, funds, or credits under the institution’s control.
• 18 U.S.C. § 664: Prohibited conduct under this law includes embezzling money, funds, securities, or other assets from an employee welfare benefit or pension plan.

If you have been charged with any of the offenses listed above or others not mentioned, speak with me, about your case. As a skilled Miami embezzlement lawyer, I will review all financial records and relevant documents to better understand the situation. I will also listen to your side of the story to get a complete picture.