To embezzle in California is a serious crime. Embezzling carries harsh penalties that can also raise considerable doubts about your trustworthiness and integrity as a person. Therefore, it is crucial for you to contact an experienced Southern California embezzlement attorney to help you maintain your innocence and protect your rights.
Under California Penal Code Section 503, embezzlement occurs when a person unlawfully takes the property of another that has been entrusted to him/her. Embezzlement charges usually arise in the workplace where employees are typically entrusted with handling valuable items in the course of their work. As a result, most alleged embezzlers are employees accused of taking from their employers.
In order to be convicted for embezzlement, the prosecution must prove that the owner of the property you are accused of embezzling had actually entrusted the property to you, that they did so because they trusted you, and that you intended to deprive the owner of the property by fraudulently taking or using the property for your own benefit. These are serious accusations which makes it essential for you to obtain competent legal representation. Our attorneys at Wallin and Klarich have been helping people facing embezzlement charges for over 30 years. We can help you overcome the charges against you.
When faced with embezzlement charges, you are not completely helpless; an experienced embezzlement lawyer can argue certain defenses on your behalf. One of the most powerful embezzlement defenses that may be available to you is your good-faith belief that you were handling the property in question within the scope of your employment. You cannot be deemed an embezzler if you honestly believed that you were in lawful possession of the property. This is closely related to another defense that asserts that you simply did not intend to use the property for your own benefit or deprive the owner of its use. Since these defenses attack the very essence of the charge of embezzlement, they can compel a court to completely dismiss the charge against you.
Embezzlement in California is punishable by imprisonment of up to 3 years in state prison and/or a maximum fine of $10,000. An embezzlement conviction may also preclude any chance of obtaining any public office.
For more information, go to www.wklaw.com and read our Embezzlement section. You will find invaluable information regarding the charges that you or a loved one may likely face, and the available defenses.
At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys have extensive knowledge of embezzlement laws and have over 30 years of experience in defending those charged with embezzlement. Call us today at 888-749-0034 or visit us online at www.wklaw.com. We will be there when you call.
