White Collar Crime Defense Attorney

We Defend Those Accused of Every Type of Crime

Phoenix Embezzlement Lawyer

Professional & Experienced Lawyer – Available 24/7

Being accused of stealing money from an employer or client can result in criminal charges that can stay with you forever. Those convicted of embezzling may be required to pay significant fines and serve lengthy prison sentences. If you’ve been accused of embezzling, you need an experienced embezzlement lawyer in your corner.

At the Belén Law Firm, our team of criminal and personal injury attorneys understand the lasting effects that can follow this type of criminal accusation. No matter how serious your charges are, our Phoenix legal team will work diligently to build a case against the allegation so that you can receive the best outcome possible.

To schedule a free consultation regarding your embezzlement case, call (602) 715-0908 today.

What is Embezzlement?

Embezzlement is a white-collar crime that occurs when a person takes money, property, or assets from an employer or other party that has trusted that person with those assets. A white-collar crime is any theft crime that involves stealing money for personal gain.

While Arizona law doesn’t have an embezzlement statute, it falls under theft law in Arizona Revised Statute Section 13-1802. Under this statute, theft is described as knowingly and illegally obtaining, controlling, converting, or purchasing property belonging to another person with the intent to deprive that person of their property.

Embezzlement is theft that usually occurs within a business setting and occurs when a person steals the property they’ve been trusted with for their own personal gain. For example, a bank teller can commit embezzlement when they pocket a portion of a customer’s deposit and deposit it in their personal account. Another example of embezzlement is when an employee uses a company credit card to purchase personal items. Even stealing office supplies can be considered embezzlement.

The crime of embezzlement differs from other theft crimes in Arizona because the defendant was entrusted with the property through a fiduciary relationship. Some examples of fiduciary relationships are an employee and employer, an accountant and a client, and a trustee and trust beneficiary.

What are the Penalties for Embezzlement in Arizona?

Embezzlement charges can result in significant prison sentences depending on the value of the stolen property. In Arizona, a person can face a misdemeanor or felony conviction if they receive a guilty verdict for these types of theft charges.

Depending on the amount stolen, embezzlement may result in any of the following penalties:

Class 1 Misdemeanor: The amount embezzled was $1,000 or less. Offenders may be required to pay a maximum fine of $2,500, be on probation for three years, and/or spend six months in jail.
Class 6 Felony: Embezzling $1,000 to $2,500, stealing a firearm, or stealing an animal for fighting can result in six months to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.
Class 5 Felony: Embezzled between $2,000 to $3,000. Offenders can pay a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or nine months to one year in jail.
Class 4 Felony: Embezzling $3,000 to $4,000, stealing a vehicle engine or transmission can result in a $1,000 fine and /or 18 months to a 3.75-year prison sentence.
Class 3 Felony: Embezzled $4,000 to $25,000. Offenders may have to pay a maximum fine of $1,000 and/or spend 2.5 to 8.75 years in jail.
Class 2 Felony: If over $25,000 was embezzled, offenders may spend between four to 12.5 years in jail and/or pay a maximum fine of $1,000.

Life After Embezzlement Charges

An embezzlement charge can follow a person for the rest of their life, especially if he or she is convicted. Offenders can face severe penalties if they’re convicted of embezzlement and spend years in prison, depending on the value of stolen money or property involved. Not only will they have a blemish on their criminal record, but embezzlement charges can make it difficult for a person to find a job or be approved for their dream home.

An embezzlement charge can significantly hurt a person’s future employment opportunities, even if they were charged with a misdemeanor. Employers will struggle with hiring someone who has previously stolen from a former employer.

As you can see, the aftermath of embezzlement charges can affect a person in many ways, which is why it’s critical to work with an experienced embezzlement lawyer.

Navigating the Legal Process for Embezzlement Charges

Contacting a Phoenix criminal defense attorney as soon as possible is important when you’ve been arrested on an alleged embezzlement charge. Before a formal arrest, the police may want to question you about potential embezzlement activities. Even if you haven’t been formally arrested, it’s essential to have an attorney present to ensure that you’re rights are protected and you don’t make any statements that could be detrimental to your criminal case.

When you meet with the attorneys at the Belén Law Firm, your legal team will begin crafting your defense against the Phoenix embezzlement charges. This can include gathering evidence and working with forensic accountants.

Do I Need a Phoenix White Collar Crime Attorney?

Facing criminal charges as serious as embezzling requires extensive experience handling criminal cases. When you’ve been arrested for any type of theft crime, you never want to represent yourself or use inadequate legal representation. Whether you’re facing misdemeanor or felony penalties, choosing knowledgeable and experienced representation can mean the difference between probation and a conviction.

At the Belén Law Firm, your Phoenix white-collar crime lawyer will be with you throughout the legal process and provide a strong defense against the accusations. When you work with one of our criminal defense attorneys, you have a better chance of having your charges lowered, dropped, or dismissed.

Legal Services Offered by a Phoenix Embezzlement Attorney

When you choose Attorney Belén Olmedo Guerra for your legal representation, you can trust that she and her team of attorneys will fight aggressively against your criminal charges. The sooner you schedule a consultation, the sooner your legal team can investigate your charges.

In order to be convicted of embezzlement, the prosecution will need to provide evidence that shows the crime occurred beyond reasonable doubt. Your legal team will work to disprove this evidence and collect their own in an effort to strengthen your case.

Benefits of Choosing an Experienced Phoenix Embezzlement Lawyer

Your experienced Phoenix embezzlement attorney will create a defense strategy unique to your embezzlement case. Common defense strategies include the following:

Lack of intent
Incapacity
Insufficient evidence
Lack of fiduciary duty
Entrapment
Wrong person

If your attorney is unable to get your charges dismissed or an acquittal, they may be able to get your charges reduced. Regardless, when you work with an experienced embezzlement attorney, your case is more likely to have a favorable outcome.

Call a Phoenix Embezzlement Attorney at Belen Law Firm

If you’ve been arrested on embezzlement charges, you need to contact attorney Belén Olmedo Guerra immediately. The attorneys at the Belén Law Firm are familiar with the inner workings of the Phoenix criminal justice system. They will use their experience to help you achieve the best outcome possible. You can trust that your legal team won’t back down from a fight and will aggressively defend your rights during your case.

To schedule a free consultation with the Phoenix embezzlement attorneys at the Belén Law Firm, call (602) 715-0908 or contact us online today.

Set Up Your Free Consultation

What Our Clients Say

"We first hired Belen and her highly esteemed team of expert litigators. For her integrity and professionalism, but during the course of our representation, we gained a degree of personal trust and reliance far exceeding our expectations. Belen demonstrated an amazing level of genuine care and compassion and an implicit desire to keep us informed and knowledgeable of each step in the process. She is a diligent and hard worker and leaves no stone unturned. Our representation was nothing short of brilliant, creative and successful! She is without a doubt the Lady I want in my corner. I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone interested in winning their case with the least amount of headaches throughout the process."

"Belén is hands down the BEST defense attorney out there. She has the heart, compassion, determination, backbone and most of all, the desire to help her clients. Belén’s expertise and experience helped mitigate our case to receive a reduced sentence. She spent thousands of hours over the year and a half she represented our family to challenge the prosecution at every corner and on every angle. She went above what most attorneys do by hiring her own experts and investigators to ensure she went to battle fully loaded. Due to her dedication, determination and commitment, my family felt extremely satisfied and confident that she obtained the best outcome with a reduced sentence. Belén is a stand up human being who, not only represented our family, but became family. If you want the best defense attorney, Belen is your choice!"

"At a time where we felt helpless and, quite frankly traumatized, Belen stepped in and reassured us that we had options and assured us she would work her hardest for a satisfactory resolution. My teenage son needed defense against law enforcement and my family needed legal advice and support in the worst way. Despite being beaten black and blue by police officers that said he was resisting arrest, they also charged him with two felonies. We were all at a loss and Belen was able to keep us grounded as we went through the process explaining every step along the way. She worked extremely hard to expose the truth about the officer involved, and because of her hard work, the felonies were dropped. My son can go on with his life without having his record and character tarnished by these unjust accusations."

"Hire this one! I spoke to several firms before using Belen. Every other firm connected me to a sales person who refused to allow me to speak with an attorney. Belen was put on the phone when I called at 7pm on a Saturday. Belen cared about my son. He had a warrant for his arrest and did not know until he was pulled over and hauled off to jail. Belen went to the jail on Saturday, stood with my son in jail in front of the jailhouse court judge and told that judge how it was. My son walked out 2 hours later without paying for bail. The following week, she called the prosecutor and was able to get the plea reinstated from years prior that resulted in the case being fully dismissed. Also, her fees for everything were lower than the other attorneys who were trying to get me to pay over the phone. I highly recommend Belen!"