Embezzlement in the state of Michigan is considered to be the theft of property by a person managing it for another individual or entity, and embezzlement cases are treated very seriously in the state. In order for a theft crime to be considered embezzlement in Michigan, the person stealing the property must have a legal right to access it for another individual, and this factor is what deems a crime to be embezzlement rather than another type of theft. Those who are charged with counts of embezzlement in Michigan face harsh penalties for their actions, and these penalties will depend on just how much of another person’s property they took for their own personal gain.
There are many different ways in which embezzlement crimes can be committed in the state of Michigan, from business cases to personal cases. One example of embezzlement in a personal setting is if a person is placed in charge of caring for a family member’s finances for any period of time, and this person violates this trust by taking the funds for their own use. In a business setting, it would be considered embezzlement for an employee working in a financial department for a company to take small amounts of funds for a period of time for their own gain. Embezzlement crimes in Michigan are varied, and the penalties incurred will reflect a person’s individual situation.
Michigan Laws And Penalties
The charges and penalties a person may face after being convicted of embezzlement in the state of Michigan will greatly depend upon the value of the property in question:
- Property valued at less than $200: When the property in question is valued at under $200, a person will face penalties that can include a fine of up to $500, or 3 times the value of the property, as well as up to 93 days in jail. If the property was found to have been embezzled from a charity organization, however, the fine will increase to $2,000 or up to 1 year in jail.
- Property valued between $200 and $1,000: In embezzlement cases where the property has been valued at between $200 and $1,000, a person may face a fine of up to $2,000 or 3 times the value of the property, as well as 1 year in jail. If prior convictions are to have been found, or the property was taken from a charity organization, a person may face a fine up to $10,000 and/or 5 years in prison.
- Property valued between $1,000 and $20,000: If the property is found to be valued at between $1,000 and $20,000, a person will then face penalties of a fine not exceeding $10,000 as well as up to 5 years in prison. If the person facing charges has prior convictions or the property was taken from a charitable organization, these penalties will raise to a $15,000 fine as well as 10 years in prison.
- Property valued at between $20,000 and $50,000: If the embezzled property is valued at between $20,000 and $50,000 in the state of Michigan, a person will face punishments of a fine of $15,000, or 3 times the value of the property, as well as up to 15 years in prison.
- Property valued at between $50,000 and $100,000: For embezzlement cases with property valued at between $50,000 and $100,000, a person may face fines of up to $25,000 or 3 times the value of the property, whichever is greater, as well as up to 15 years in prison.
- Property valued at $100,000 or more: For extreme Michigan embezzlement cases involving property valued at over $100,000 a person may face a fine of $50,000, or 3 times the value of the property as well as up to 20 years in prison.
Michigan Embezzlement Penalties
In the state of Michigan, a person will face harsher penalties if the value of the property or money embezzled is of a greater amount, and the state has value ranges in which certain charges and penalties will fall under. These ranges include not only monetary embezzling, but the embezzling of personal property as well, and a person can know what charges and penalties they face if they know what their embezzled property is worth.
Those charged with embezzling in the state of Michigan can face either felony or misdemeanor charges depending on the value of the property they embezzled.
Statute Of Limitations On Michigan
The statute of limitations on embezzlement cases in the state of Michigan is 6 years, which means that the crime had to have been committed within 6 years of the defendant being charged. This limitation is put into place for both felony and misdemeanor embezzlement cases, however under tolling provision, the statute does not run during a time when the defendant does not reside within the state.
Key Michigan Embezzlement Cases
- Former Borgess Medical Center Worker Sentenced to Jail, Probation in Embezzlement Case – An Ohio woman who used false identification to gain employment at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo Michigan was sentenced to 30 days in jail as well as 5 years of probation after it was found she embezzled more than $20,000 from the facility.
- Former State of Michigan Employee Sentenced In Embezzlement Case – A Lansing woman is charged with embezzling more than $300,000 from the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.