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Clearwater Criminal Defense Lawyer > Blog > Criminal Defense > Employment Theft In Florida

Employment Theft In Florida

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Employees are often trusted by their employers with corporate accounts. A range of positions manage company funds, including account managers, project leaders, and chief financial officers. While there are typically set guidelines on how those funds should be handled, there are examples of employees accessing funds through fraud, theft, and other schemes.

Employee theft harms the company and carries substantial criminal consequences.

If Florida law enforcement is involved they will bring details to prosecutors, who will focus on the criminal charges. Additionally, the company that lost funds could move to recover funds through civil litigation. Building a defense for both a criminal case and a civil case can be costly and time extensive. Retaining a Clearwater criminal defense lawyer early in the process is advised.

Forensic Accountants and Uncovering Fraud

Professional accountants, auditors, and investigators who focus on financial documents could carry the title of forensic accountant. These professionals use their expertise to explore fraudulent activity at an organization. Then, they could provide witness testimony on their findings. In other situations, forensic accountants are hired to set up systems to prevent employment theft from happening. This could be true of a company recovering from a theft, for example.

Ways employees have engaged in employment theft:

  • Awarding themselves unauthorized bonuses or compensation boosts.
  • Setting up a fictitious vendor and dispersing funds through false invoices.
  • Establishing a relationship with a verified supplier in which invoices are padded.

When the employee is a trusted member of a company family, the theft could continue for long periods of time. And when fraud draws out for years, the total sum stolen reaches high figures.

Have Your Attorney Talk to the Employer

As soon as you have been accused of employment theft, or if you have reason to believe an accusation is forthcoming, talk to an experienced defense lawyer. You do not want to say the wrong thing, an admission could lead to prosecution depending on the situation. Plus, you will want to speak to an attorney about fund repayments. It needs to be determined if a repayment is advantageous, and if so, what is the best way to do so and protect yourself should the situation develop into a criminal case.

For instance, there have been situations where an employer verbally guarantees they will not contact law enforcement if funds are repaid. While this assurance may put you at ease, in reality that verbal declaration is not legally binding. It is possible you will still be facing criminal charges. Discuss your situation with a Clearwater criminal defense lawyer to move forward with care and confidence.

Do you have an employment theft legal question? When you talk to a skilled attorney, you are connecting with an experienced professional who is familiar with a large array of complex criminal charges, including those involving employee theft or embezzlement. Share your story with the legal team at King Law Group to learn more. Our attorneys build defenses that uniquely align with the case facts. Bring your inquiries to our attention, schedule your free consultation today.

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