Go to main navigation
1650 Market Street, Suite 3600, Philadelphia, PA 19103
You may only get one call, make it count!
24hr. availability
Video conferences available
215-563-7100 866-842-2573 215-563-7100 866-842-2573

What to Do When You Face Federal Embezzlement Charges

What to Do If You are Facing Tax Evasion Charges

Embezzlement is most commonly defined as the conversion of corporate or public funds to use for personal purposes. The individual accused of embezzlement is likely to have been someone who was entrusted with those funds or assets.

In situations in which you’re accused of embezzling money either directly from the federal government or a business or organization providing services to the government, you may face federal embezzlement charges. A conviction of a federal crime comes with stiff penalties, including fines of up to $250,000 and a prison sentence.

So what can you do if you face federal embezzlement charges? The following are a few strategies you and your lawyer can use to help protect your rights:

  • Provide the number of other people within your organization who have similar responsibilities as you. Don’t call out individual staff members, as this will make you look bad — simply talk about other job titles and their duties within your department. This serves as a way to show it is possible that others were responsible for the alleged offense.
  • Bring in character witnesses who are familiar with your daily work and background. It’s important to portray yourself as being an honest, hardworking employee. You may also submit as evidence any awards or recognition you have received from your company to demonstrate your trustworthy nature.
  • With your attorney, develop a strategy to explain any of the holes or inconsistencies in your story. Any miscalculations in your office’s budget should be able to be explained without you having to hesitate and think of an excuse.
  • Show yourself as being a relatively low-level employee or contractor who would not have the type of access necessary to pull off the crime, especially in a large national or international company with many different offices.
  • There are likely to be a number of meetings outside of court with law enforcement authorities and/or your employer, so be sure to have your attorney with you at all times to prevent you from incriminating yourself or saying anything that could be construed as an inconsistency.

Embezzlement, by its nature, is a complex crime. Get the legal guidance you need by working with a Philadelphia white collar crime defense lawyer at the Law Offices of David Jay Glassman. Give us a call at 215-563-7100 or contact us online today.