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Embezzlement

Defense against Mississippi embezzlement charges.

Embezzlement charges arise when property entrusted to a person’s care is alleged to have been converted for that person’s own use. These cases often turn on questions of intent and the relationship of trust between the parties.

How Mississippi Defines Embezzlement

In plain terms, Mississippi’s embezzlement law (Miss. Code Ann. § 97-23-19) applies when someone who was lawfully entrusted with money or property — through a job, an office, or another position of trust — takes it, hides it, or uses it for their own benefit. What sets embezzlement apart from ordinary theft is that the person was given access to the property in the first place; the alleged wrongdoing is in keeping or diverting it, not in how it came into their hands.

Facing an Embezzlement Charge

Because embezzlement charges depend on proving both the entrustment of property and the intent to convert it, the specific facts of each case matter a great deal. If you are facing an embezzlement charge, retaining experienced counsel early can be important to your defense.