Embezzlement is a crime perpetrated at work. It occurs when someone with access purposely diverts money from a company account for personal use.

Taking a few dollars here and there from a business may not seem like a big deal, especially if the company has plenty of it. You should know that embezzlement is a serious offense, one which the Missouri justice system does not take lightly. Get more insight into this often misunderstood crime and how Missouri handles it.

Taking money from your employer

The most common way people find themselves charged with embezzling money is when they get caught stealing it from their company. There are several ways employees have found to funnel money, including things such as:

• Charging more for a product and taking the difference
• Taking checks for deposit into personal accounts
• Adding personal expenses in for reimbursement
• Hiring a fake person and then taking their paycheck

Embezzlement charges in Missouri are contingent on the value of the property stolen. This is true of other theft charges, the classification embezzlement falls under in the state statutes.

Taking money from a relative

Stealing from a company is not the only way to face embezzlement charges. If a person takes property or cash from a friend or family member, it may also fall under this category. The thing that makes it different than regular theft is the access the person has to the money or property stolen. As in the case of taking money from a company, a person who has permission to handle finances for someone else on a personal level may face charges should he or she take advantage of that access and steal.

While embezzlement is not a separate charge under Missouri law, it is a serious theft offense. A person convicted of the crime may face up to 15 years in prison.