What do I do if I suspect one of my employees is embezzling money from my company?

Question: I am the owner of a mid-sized company and suspect that one of my employees is stealing money from our investment accounts.  This was brought to my attention by my accountant.  What steps should I take to investigate further and what type of legal action can I pursue?

Response: Embezzlement is defined as the fraudulent appropriation of funds or property entrusted to your care but actually owned by someone else. Essentially, this means the theft of property that isn't yours.

In some cases, embezzlement involves falsification of records in order to conceal the activity. Embezzlers commonly may take small amounts of funds repeatedly over a long period of time or a large sum at once. It is important to examine the behavior of the employee and trace their actions in order to determine if embezzlement is taking place.

The United States Code of Crimes categorizes embezzlement as a criminal offense. You may learn more by visiting their website at the link below.

You should contact a securities lawyer to investigate the details of this occurrence in order to properly identify, document, and prosecute for Embezzlement.

Answered by Jason Tong

Additional Resources:

• U.S. Code of Crime and Criminal Procedure
• Securities Lawyers

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