North Carolina Criminal Law 14-90: Embezzlement of Property by Virtue of Office or Employment

The property can include money and paper securities but does not include services.

A business partner cannot be guilty of embezzlement of partnership funds but can be prosecuted for appropriating (misappropriating) partnership funds for personal use, gain, or benefit.

A person can only be charged if he or she exercises a public trust, holds a public office, or is a guardian, administrator, executor, trustee, receiver, fiduciary, officer, agent, consignee, clerk, bailee or servant of the victim.

The Defendant must have obtained the property by virtue of his or her position, i.e., the Defendant must be entrusted with it.

Embezzlement differs from Larceny by Employee. Embezzlement is the misuse or misapplication of the victim’s property to which the Defendant was entrusted.

Larceny generally involves taking the victim’s property without a fiduciary relationship between the victim and the person accused of the crime.

1. Office Manager at ABC Insurance Company in Charlotte, N.C., acting within her normal duties on behalf of ABC Insurance, lawfully obtains client’s signature on a settlement check for a car accident. She thereafter deposits the check into her own, personal account, keeping the money for herself. The Officer Manager, the Defendant in the criminal charges, can be charged with embezzlement. While the Officer Manager for the insurance company lawfully came into possession of the check and was entrusted with care of the check by his client, the misuse of the funds amounts to Embezzlement.
2. Employee goes into her boss’s office and steals a drill and some tools. Employee can be charged with larceny (most likely larceny by employee) but not embezzlement because Employee was not entrusted with the property by virtue of his or her position with the company.
3. Employee works in an Iredell County Pawn Shop that has locations in both Mooresville and Statesville. Employee is responsible to accepting valued items on behalf of the Pawn Shop. While in the Statesville office, Employee receives on behalf of the Pawn Shop a Rolex watch with a market value of $10,000. Employee takes a picture of the Rolex and the serial number on the back of the watch, sending it to a bank as proof of collateral for a second mortgage on his personal home. The Rolex watch is never removed from the Pawn Shop and is never sold to pay the mortgage note. Employee can be charged with Embezzlement.
4. Employee takes a corporate signature stamp without permission and writes unauthorized checks to pay credit card bills for a recent vacation to Wilmington, N.C., thereby misappropriating funds. Employee is not entrusted with the signature stamp. Employee is not responsible for managing accounts, paying bills, or signing documents on behalf of the Employer. The employee cannot be charged with embezzlement because the employee did not lawfully possess or control the misappropriated funds. Employee is not entrusted with an asset, property, or other item of value and does not act on behalf of the Employer. Employee can, however, be charged with Larceny by Employee and possibly forgery of a bank instrument.

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• Is Larceny a Felony in North Carolina?

It is NOT a defense that the Defendant intended and was willing to return the property later, nor is a defense that the person accused of Embezzlement never transferred the ownership interest to another party (and/or themselves).

Defendant can show that the alleged property was not entrusted to them in the scope of their employment. Defendant can show they did not lawfully possess or control the alleged misappropriated funds, with the limitation that conversion of such property or thing of value may be the basis of another felony charge known as Larceny by Employee.

Embezzlement may be classified as a Class C felony when involving property valued at $100,000 or more. For criminal charges involving a property value up to but not including $100,000, the NC Criminal Laws classify such embezzlement charges as a Class H Felony.

As a Class H felony, the punishment may include (depending on the calculated PRL Prior Record Level as determined pursuant to the Sentencing Guidelines) a maximum period of incarceration of 39 months in a state correctional facility in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.

However, if the embezzled property is $100,000 or more the crime may be punishable as a Class C felony, which carries a maximum period of incarceration of 231 months in the NC DAC Department of Adult Corrections. Contact experienced legal counsel immediately to discuss felony sentencing in North Carolina.

Embezzlement charges in North Carolina may take time to develop. Many employers seek to gather evidence of the crime before formally terminating or firing the employee.

That is true for law enforcement as well. It is not unusual for a detective to offer an Employee the, “Chance to come in, talk about what happened, help explain things, and make things right.”

Promises to “put in a good word with the Judge” or to “talk to the DA” are largely hollow promises, predicated on the concerted effort to obtain a confession.

We firmly believe that speaking with law enforcement, co-workers, or the employer about possible embezzlement charges, without first consulting with a defense lawyer, is a tremendous mistake.

Offering to return an item or “pay my boss back” may be deemed a confession or other admission of criminal liability. Even if that’s something you ultimately choose to do, it makes sense to first speak with a lawyer to determine your legal liability (exposure to punishments) and legal rights.

Returning the item of value or property, even without the knowledge of the Employer, likely is not a defense to criminal charges, nor does it guarantee charges will not be pressed.

If you are under investigating for embezzlement or have otherwise be accused of stealing from your Employer, we strongly recommend you seek legal representation by an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

A Charlotte criminal attorney can help explain your legal rights and guide you through what can be a complicated, if not confusing legal process.

Embezzlement is considered a “crime of theft and dishonesty.” It may also be deemed a “crime of moral turpitude.” A conviction for things like larceny, even if you are uncertain whether it’s a misdemeanor or felony charge, can make it extremely difficult to find work, maintain employment, or even rent a home.

The attorneys at our law firm are compassionate, dedicated advocates for justice. Bill Powers is a Board-Certified Specialist in Criminal Law as recognized by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) / National Board of Legal Specialty Certification (NBLSC).

Call NOW to schedule your complementary (free) legal consultation with our Charlotte Criminal Defense Attorneys. Everything you tell us (including our lawyers and paralegals) is considered confidential.