What Should One Expect in a Federal Embezzlement Case?

If you are the subject of a federal embezzlement case, there are some things you may want to know about the process from the initial investigation to the trial. Generally, you will first be made aware of a federal embezzlement case against you when you receive a target letter from the United States Attorney’s Office. In most cases, this letter simply is intended to make you aware that you are being made the target of a grand jury investigation being conducted by the federal government. 

In some cases, the government may request your cooperation in their target letter. You may choose to cooperate or not. It’s best to contact an attorney at this point before making any decisions. If you do decide to cooperate, then you must retain counsel or have an attorney appointed by the court if you can’t afford one. As part of this cooperation, you may be expected to give a statement to the grand jury.

Anyone who receives a target letter like this should contact an experienced embezzlement attorney right away. Sometimes individuals think that all they have to do is speak with the police or a prosecutor and explain the situation or clear up a misunderstanding. However, the notion that you will be able to simply explain the situation and clear up the investigation is almost always wrong. By the time you have received the target letter, the government is reasonably certain that you are guilty and they just want to gather additional evidence against you. That’s why it’s important to speak with an attorney as soon as you receive the target letter.

There are a few other things which you should expect to happen as part of the federal embezzlement investigation. One thing which is very likely to happen is that a federal agent will show up at your house or workplace with a search warrant and search the premises for any evidence. They may take certain things with them such as hard drives or financial documents. They will generally leave and not arrest you. However, they will most likely return sooner or later with an arrest warrant.

If you are the subject of a federal investigation for embezzlement, the problem won’t just go away on its own. You should seek out an experienced embezzlement attorney right away. Attorney David M. Dudley has decades of experience defending clients around the country and has worked on numerous federal embezzlement cases. Call David at 800-805-6167 today for a free case evaluation.