Who typically gets charged with embezzlement?
Professionals entrusted with someone else's property: accountants, business executives and trustees. Anyone in Dallas in a position to handle money or assets belonging to another person or a business can be charged. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners studied more than 2,500 workplace fraud cases in 2020 and found most accused embezzlers are not career criminals.
- Embezzlement is a white collar theft offense: someone entrusted with property is accused of taking it for their own use.
- More than 70 percent of accused embezzlers are men, most aged 31 to 45.
- Few have a previous criminal record. They tend to work in upper management, operations, accounting or sales.
- Many had financial problems, often from living beyond their means.
- The median amount reportedly taken was about $60,000, rising to $150,000 for managers and $600,000 for executives.
Embezzlement is a white-collar type of theft crime in which someone entrusted with another party’s property is accused of stealing that property for their own use. Most people charged with embezzlement are professionals like accountants, business executives and trustees.
Profile of an embezzlement suspect
Anybody in Dallas in a position to handle money or other assets belonging to another person or a business can be charged with this crime. Still, statistics indicate a picture of the “typical” person accused of embezzlement. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) released a report in 2020 based on more than 2,500 cases of alleged workplace fraud to paint a picture of the prototypical embezzler. Among ACFE’s findings:
- More than 70 percent of accused embezzlers are men.
- Most are aged 31 to 45, which makes sense, given that they have reached a certain point in their professional careers.
- Few have a previous criminal record.
- They tend to work in upper management, operations, accounting or sales.
- Many accused people had financial problems, often because of living beyond their means.
Also, the amount of money reportedly stolen depends on the suspect’s job. While the median amount allegedly stolen was about $60,000, the figure goes up to $150,000 for managers and $600,000 for executives. This could be because more powerful employees have greater access to large client or company accounts.
Few career criminals
As mentioned above, most people accused of embezzling are not career criminals. They could be falsely accused, or caught up in financial problems that made them desperate and susceptible to a mistake. If you are under investigation or have already been arrested, you need sound advice from an attorney you can trust. Your rights can only be preserved if you fight for them.
Common questions
What is the profile of a typical embezzlement suspect?
From the ACFE's 2020 report on more than 2,500 workplace fraud cases: over 70 percent are men, most are aged 31 to 45, few have any previous criminal record, and they tend to work in upper management, operations, accounting or sales.
How much money is usually involved?
The median amount reportedly stolen was around $60,000. That rises to about $150,000 where a manager is accused and about $600,000 where an executive is, likely because more senior staff have access to larger accounts.
Are people accused of embezzlement usually career criminals?
No. Most are not. They may be falsely accused, or caught up in financial problems that left them desperate and open to a mistake.
This article is general legal information about Texas law, not legal advice about your case. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change, so confirm the current rule with a licensed Texas criminal defense attorney about your specific facts. Request a free case review.