A California man was sentenced to probation on Feb. 23 for crimes of embezzlement, tax evasion and forgery. The 74-year-old man was convicted of his crimes following a trial in September of 2016.
According to reports, the man was a co-owner of a pizzeria in Sunnyvale. Over a period of at least six years, he reportedly embezzled $350,000 from the restaurant. During that time, he also reportedly spent more than $1 million at casinos in Nevada and California.
In addition to withdrawing money, the man allegedly used company checks to pay his expenses. The court ordered him to give up his part of the restaurant for the restitution that he owes to his former business partner. The co-owner discovered the embezzlement in 2012 after he grew suspicion and reviewed the financial records of the restaurant.
People who are charged with embezzlement after allegedly misappropriating funds may want to get help from criminal defense attorneys. Cases alleging white-collar crimes such as embezzlement may be very complex and include thousands of pages of documents. Attorneys may be able to organize the papers and find problems with the state’s cases upon a close review. They may then file motions to challenge the admissibility of some of the evidence. In some cases, lawyers may be able to secure favorable plea agreements that allow their clients to avoid prison time in exchange for the payment of restitution. Attorneys may also be able to secure the dismissal of charges in exchange for restitution in some matters. If reasonable agreements can’t be reached, the lawyers may fight for their clients through trials.