Sentencing and Penalties for Embezzlement

Have you been accused of embezzlement in New Jersey? You need to understand your rights and responsibilities to be able to act appropriately and avoid the consequences of being convicted without appropriate due process and dedicated representation. When you have been accused of embezzlement, this can affect your reputation, your career prospects and your personal freedom.

You need to know that a criminal record could follow you for many years to come and it is important to get insight from an attorney immediately. If you are found guilty of embezzlement, the penalty directly co-relates to the alleged amount that you stole. If you embezzled money of less than $200, you will be considered guilty of a disorderly person’s offense that could land you in jail for up to six months and fines as high as $1000. If you embezzled property or money valued at between $200 and $500, you could be guilty of a fourth-degree crime and could pay fines as high as $10,000 or be put in prison for up to 18 months.

If a property or money involved was valued at more than $500 but less than $75,000, this is a third-degree crime with fines as high as $15,000 and time in prison up to five years. If the property or money involved in the alleged situation was worth more than $75,000 however, the fines can go as high as $150,000 and can lead to time in prison of up to ten years.

Given the high stakes involved in these types of situations, it is in your best interests to begin gathering evidence as soon as possible and consulting directly with an attorney to help you. Only an experienced criminal defense attorney can tell you more about the evidence that the other side has and how this may affect your future. Hire a criminal defense lawyer you can count on when you’ve been accused.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney/client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.