Maryland Woman Sentenced After Embezzling $180,000

Money is a motivator for most people, and many people will go to great lengths to get ahold of it. Some even create elaborate schemes to deprive their employer of money and put it in their own pockets.

This is called embezzlement, and like other forms of theft, it’s a common crime. A Maryland woman was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing $180,000 from her employer.

The 37-year-old woman was working at Kitty’s Flowers in Salisbury when the theft took place. Between July 2014 and October 2018, she was employed as the company’s sales and office manager. During that time, she embezzled more than $180,000. She would use the company’s point of sale software to cancel transactions. She then stole the amount of the transaction in cash from the register.

The woman pled guilty to theft over $100,000. At her sentencing in early November, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, all but 18 months were suspended. Once she is released, she will face two years of supervised probation.

In July, the woman originally pled not guilty. The state attorney’s office had requested bail to be set at an amount more than $150,000. Instead, the judge denied the request and the woman was released without bail.

Why Do People Embezzle?

It’s always a shock when people hear that an employee has embezzled from their employer. In fact, the employer is likely to be shocked the most, since they entrusted this person to work for them. They don’t want to believe their employee would do this to them.

However, embezzlement happens quite often. But why do people do it? It’s simple—they need money, for some reason or another. Most people do it to pay bills. They’re financially strapped and need to pay the mortgage or car loan. Maybe they need a little extra money for the holidays. Some think that their employer owes it to them because they got passed over for a promotion or they didn’t get the raise they expected. In some cases, embezzlement is a form of revenge.

Gambling and addictions are other reasons why employees steal. If they lose a bet or need more money to fuel their drug or alcohol addiction, they may look to their employer to foot the bill.

Some people simply live beyond their means. They have maxed out their credit cards trying to keep up with their friends and neighbors, and now they need money to pay off their debts. This may cause them to embezzle.

Contact a Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer Today

White collar crimes such as embezzlement are easy to commit, especially if a person is in charge of money, such as an accountant or treasurer. However, embezzlement is a type of theft that causes individuals and companies to suffer severe financial harm. As such, it is taken seriously.

White collar crimes are subject to state and federal penalties. Protect yourself with help from a Columbia white collar crime lawyer at the Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, P.A. He can assess your case and offer you a solid defense. To schedule a free consultation, call (410) 774-5987 or fill out the online form.

Resource:

wmdt.com/2019/11/former-kittys-flowers-employee-sentenced-for-theft/

https://www.marylandlawhelp.com/woman-convicted-of-identity-theft-involving-tax-returns/