The tech industry has a large presence in California. Those tech-savvy employees help keep the business competing in the marketplace. Unfortunately, they may be embezzling from the company.
BizManualz discusses common embezzlement schemes including those related to technology. Forging stolen company documents is something all levels of employees can do. Computers house many accounts allowing for someone to create an account, borrow money via a loan, transfer cash between accounts and commit payroll fraud.
Using the computer for data processing opens the company up to someone installing a Trojan horse program or logic bomb. These items involve computer code to allow for simultaneous functions to operate or command functions at specific times. Capturing small amounts of money allows someone to skim off of an account using a variety of techniques.
An employee can do this under their own account on their own computer. Other times the employee can conduct this type of fraud using someone else’s account. Enhanced security measures can help deter criminals from embezzling the company.
The US Department of Justice states that an embezzlement charge is “a specific intent crime.” Charges brought against someone must, therefore, prove intent to take property from the owner. This property includes assets such as cash.
The intent does not necessarily mean that long-term property loss would affect the person. Rather, even a temporary intent to deprive them of their own property is enough. The last thing an employee wants is an embezzlement charge from their employer. However, it is not enough if the employee means to return the stolen property, it is still a crime.
