Lake Mary is known for many things, including its sense of community and its commitment to many prominent businesses that have developed in the area, including AT&T, Verizon, Deloitte Consulting, Duke Energy, FARO Technologies, and more. However, with major companies comes the risk of embezzlement. If you are facing this charge, it is important to talk about your situation with a Lake Mary embezzlement lawyer who explains your legal options. Our knowledgeable white collar defense attorney may be able to help you defend yourself from the charge and the significant consequences an embezzlement conviction carries in Florida.
When someone is legally entrusted to manage property or funds, and uses their position to take these items for their own gain, it is considered embezzlement. What separates this situation from other types of theft is that the person has permission via their position to handle the funds, but misuses it for personal gain. Embezzlement is commonly referred to as a “white-collar crime” as it involves a business or governmental environment in which an individual gains a personal advantage through deception.
There are both federal and state laws that make embezzlement a crime, and these cases can be heard in either federal or state court. Embezzlement can be charged as either grand theft, which is a felony, or petit theft, which is a misdemeanor. The severity of the charge depends primarily on the value of the property that was taken, but other factors such as the defendant’s criminal history can also impact whether they face a felony embezzlement charge or a misdemeanor.
The consequences of an embezzlement conviction in Lake Mary can have significant impacts on an individual’s freedom, finances, and professional reputation. Here is a look as some of these consequences, based on how the crime was charged:
In addition to facing incarceration and being ordered to pay fines, defendants who are convicted of embezzlement in Lake Mary also face the impacts of having the crime appear on their criminal record, which can affect their options when seeking employment, education, or housing. The conviction can result in suspension of their driver’s license for a year.
Being accused of embezzlement does not necessarily mean a defendant will be convicted of the charge. There are many logical defenses to embezzlement claims, including the defendant not intending to deprive the victim of their property or believing they had a legal right to the property in some cases. In other cases, the alleged crime may have occurred as a result of an accounting error or for a legitimate business purpose. The criminal defense team at The Umansky Law Firm regularly looks at the details of their client’s case to help them develop the best defense strategy.
In some cases, the defense strategy might not be a matter of proving that the crime was not committed, but rather lessening the severity of the penalties the defendant faces. In both federal and state embezzlement cases, our Lake Mary embezzlement lawyers commonly work to negotiate a plea deal on your behalf that may result in lesser charges or lighter sentencing, particularly if you have not been charged with similar crimes in the past.
Our legal team is committed to helping our clients receive the best outcome possible. To talk to a Lake Mary embezzlement defense lawyer about your case, fill out our online contact form or call us any time of the day or night.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
