In Middlebury, Connecticut, a new chief was elected to the volunteer fire department after an embezzlement scandal astounded the department last week.
Paul Perrotti, the previous chief was arrested on federal charges of embezzling $70,000 from the department. The ex-chief has plead not guilty to the charges. Perrotti, whose day job is as a licensed electrician, was the fire chief in Middlebury ever since 1996. Now, he faces accusations of fudning personal and business expenses with monies taken out of the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department accounts, according to officials.
What is embezzlement?
Embezzlement, as defined by the free legal dictionary, is “the fraudulent conversion of another’s property by a person who is in a position of trust, such as an agent or employee.” In most embezzlement cases, the person charged is one of great authority, such as the owner of a company or top ranking official.
White Collar Crime
White collar crime is crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation, not your low end convenience store robber wearing a ski mask. This type of criminal activity is usually found in the employment and corporate fields. Some people found to be embezzlers simply take large amounts of money at one time, while others divert small sums over extended time periods. Embezzlers can use any number of techniques and are often impressively creative in their approaches. Some schemes include fraudulent billing, payroll checks to non-existent employees, records falsification, “Ponzi” financial schemes and more.
Filing for Bankruptcy After Embezzlement
It may seem like a good idea to file for bankruptcy if you are charged for embezzlement as a way of getting out of repayment obligations, but think again. Bankruptcy filings cannot excuse any debt for embezzlement, theft, conversion, fraud or misuse of funds by a fiduciary.
Oklahoma City Fraud Charge Lawyer
The Law Office of Robert R. Robles will ensure a comprehensive analysis of all criminal charges against you, including establishing whether or not witness testimony against you is valid to warrant an arrest in the first place. Contact us in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for more information and your free initial consultation.
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