When South Carolina companies cannot account for missing assets or funds, they sometimes accuse employees of breach of trust or fiduciary duty. Embezzlement involves an employee who uses entrusted property or money for personal enrichment without authorization. An insurance company’s accusations against a former employee led to her recent arrest.
An arrest warrant affidavit indicates that a 51-year-old Mount Pleasant resident was employed by the South Carolina Farm Insurance Bureau until 2015 when the alleged embezzlement was discovered. The accusations followed an audit that apparently revealed that the accused woman had siphoned company funds over a period of six years. This was allegedly done by depositing unauthorized checks into her personal account.
According to the allegations, 393 checks with a total value of $217,823.21 were fraudulently deposited into her own account. The insurance company claims that the theft of company money started in 2009 and continued until her dismissal in 2015. The arrest affidavit shows that when she was confronted the woman admitted to committing the white collar crime. Reportedly, a conviction on this felony charge can lead to as many as 10 years behind bars.
Despite this woman’s confession, she will remain innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. She has the right to have a legal representative present throughout any questioning by law enforcement authorities. An experienced criminal defense attorney can examine the charges and the circumstances under which the accused woman confessed to embezzlement. As part of the lawyer’s pursuit to obtain the best possible outcome, any factual or legal issues identified in assessing the charges can be addressed before the court.
Source: postandcourier.com, “Former Mount Pleasant secretary accused of stealing nearly $218,000 from employer”, Dave Munday, Jan. 27, 2016
