Many workers have, from time to time, violated an office policy. It could be as simple as breaking the dress code or failing to punch the clock in a timely fashion. Some Texans, however, commit blatant offenses such as embezzlement that not only carry consequences in the workplace but also have legal repercussions. As one recent incident illustrates, employees may steal from both their employer and the business’ customers.
For roughly six years, a woman worked as a banker at an East Texas business. During that time, she served as an officer for the organization. Over the course of her employment, she embezzled roughly $335,000 from the bank. According to investigators, the woman accessed the money from certificates of deposit and payroll accounts. She also fraudulently issued loans and even stole money from accounts that were dubbed “Christmas Club,” which customers of the bank used to save money for the holidays.
The 54-year-old woman pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement by a bank employee. As a result, she could face a jail sentence of upward of 30 years. A date for her sentencing has not yet been set.
In order to further protect a company, a business owner should contact an attorney when claims of embezzlement or other crimes arise. An attorney who practices business litigation can help ensure that a company is represented as aggressively as possible. Cases involving white collar crimes can be a distraction that takes away from operations, and an attorney can help quickly resolve such issues.
Source: The Houston Chronicle, “East Texas banker pleads guilty to embezzlement,” June 10, 2014