There is often little sympathy for people accused of financial crimes like embezzlement. Oftentimes, people hear “embezzlement” and think the person involved is a high-powered villain looking to steal money to get rich.
In reality, however, many people who find themselves facing charges of embezzlement are people who never intended to hurt anyone and have found themselves making some very bad decisions out of desperation.
For instance, it is not unusual for people in this position to be working for small companies or community groups; some are even volunteers or working for non-profit organizations.
Rather than being driven by greed, people accused of this crime can be struggling with serious emotional, psychological or financial challenges. One woman, for example, was recently arrested for embezzlement. Reports indicate that she was stealing money to support an addiction to drugs. Other people are buried in debt or they can’t afford to support their family. In these situations, and given the opportunity, people can act out of desperation and take money to help themselves out of a difficult spot.
That one decision can lead to another, which can lead to another and suddenly, a single act of taking money has turned into a criminal chain of events a person never intended to set off.
Another misconception is that embezzlement always involves huge sums of money. While this can certainly be the case, it isn’t always like this. In some cases, the amount of money involved is no more than a few hundred dollars. While any amount of money can lead to embezzlement allegations, Texas laws treat embezzlement charges differently based on the amount of money involved.
What we hope readers take away from this post is the understanding that being accused of embezzlement doesn’t automatically make you a bad person who deserves the harshest penalties possible. With the help of an experienced defense attorney, you can defend yourself against allegations in the hopes of having charges reduced or dismissed.
