EMBEZZLEMENT INVESTIGATIONS
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly withholding assets for the purpose of theft of such assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted, to be held and/or used for other purposes. Embezzlement is a kind of financial fraud. For instance, a lawyer could embezzle funds from clients’ trust accounts, a dentist’s bookkeeper could embezzle funds from his business, or a spouse could embezzle funds from his or her partner.
Embezzlement may range from the very minor in nature, involving only small amounts, to the immense, involving large sums and sophisticated schemes.
Embezzlement may range from the very minor in nature, involving only small amounts, to the immense, involving large sums and sophisticated schemes.More often than not, embezzlement is performed in a manner that is premeditated, systematic and/or methodical, with the explicit intent to conceal the activities from other individuals, usually because it is being done (by the perpetrator) without the other individuals’ knowledge or consent. Often it involves the trusted individual embezzling only a small proportion or fraction of the total of the funds or resources he/she receives or controls; in an attempt to minimize the risk of the detection of the mis-allocation of the funds or resources.
When successful, embezzlement may continue for years (or even decades) without detection. It is often only when a relatively large proportion of the funds are needed at one time; or they are called upon for another use; or, when a major institutional reorganization (the closing or moving of a plant or business office, or a merger/acquisition of a firm) requires the complete and independent accounting of all real and liquid assets; prior to, or concurrent with, the reorganization, that the victims realize the funds, savings, assets or other resources, are missing and that they have been duped by the embezzler.
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Discrete Financial Security
We have handled several investigations where the police where not interested in investigating the case either because they were already inundated with “more serious” crimes or because they just didn’t understand the situation or how to proceed. In other cases, the victim’s were just too embarrassed to go to the police (where they knew that all aspects of the investigation would eventually be made a matter of public record).
Whatever the objective, whether it be to bring the thief/thieves to justice through the criminal justice system, or to just identify the problem and make it go away, I private investigation can sometimes make sense.
