On Sept. 23, it was reported that a 48-year-old California man who was the former manager of SeaWorld in San Diego was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to embezzlement. According to the report, he had taken more than $800,000 from the park.
The man was taken into Texas police custody in March after he was considered to be a flight risk and remained in custody until the trial. He was accused of using his position at theme park to make approved payments to a fake company called “SJ Merchandise.” The man then reportedly also created a fake email account that he used to correspond with SeaWorld Officials. He reportedly made fraudulent invoices for merchandise that was difficult to track.
Although he faced up to 23 years in prison, he was ultimately sentenced the 30 months. Additionally, he was ordered to pay back almost $820,000 to SeaWorld, $177,000 to a person whose identity he stole and $200,000 to the IRS for taxes.
When a person is accused of being involved in an embezzlement scheme, they may face severe penalties that could include a jail sentence and large fines. A criminal law attorney may assist a defendant by creating a strong defense against the charges. Depending on the specifics of the case, the lawyer may provide evidence that shows that the person was not or could not have been involved in the activity or that they were unaware that they were involved. The attorney might also work to have the case dismissed or certain evidence deemed inadmissible if the authorities did not follow proper procedures during the investigation.