Embezzlement

Embezzlement is the intentional misuse or theft of funds or assets intended for a different purpose. It often occurs when an employee or volunteer in a position of trust takes advantage of loose or nonexistent financial controls within a business or organization. What separates embezzlement from a lesser charge of stealing is the employee’s intent: it must be clearly established that the employee knew what they were doing.

As with most white collar crimes, this type of fraud and abuse is highly difficult to detect. For example, a large sum of money could be withdrawn from the company’s account all at once, then covered up. Or, small amounts of money could be taken out over a period of time so the company may not even notice their funds are being embezzled. Employees can manipulate accounting records by forging checks, creating fake invoices, overbilling customers, voiding transactions, and more to cover their tracks.

In some cases, embezzlement can occur for several years before the company suspects fraudulent activity. Contacting experienced professionals trained to detect financial fraud and to review evidence is critical to successfully filing criminal charges and recovering the assets in court.

Calculating Destiny is experienced working with legal counsels to identify and unwind fraud schemes. We perform in-depth forensic investigations that give attorneys the evidence they need to support their case. As an expert witness, we can testify in court and help the jury understand the complex financial details of a case.