As reported by W. Zachary Malinowski in the February 6, 2013 edition of the Providence Journal, a clerk working at the Central Falls Municipal Court has been arrested and charged with embezzlement. It is alleged that the woman embezzled over $13,000.00 from the Municipal Court. The missing funds were discovered during an audit. The State Police report that the investigation is ongoing.
Pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws 11-41-3, embezzlement is defined as every official of a financial institution and every officer, agent, clerk, servant, or other person to whom any money or other property shall be entrusted for any specific purpose, and every person acting as executor, administrator, conservator, guardian, receiver, assignee, custodian, or trustee appointed by order, decree or judgment of court, or by deed, will or other instrument in writing, who shall embezzle or fraudulently convert to his or her own use, or who shall take or secrete, with intent to embezzle or fraudulently convert to his or her own use, any money or other property which shall have come into his or her possession or shall be under his or her care or charge by virtue of his or her employment or for that specific purpose or by virtue of his or her acting as executor, administrator, guardian, conservator, receiver, assignee, custodian, or trustee, and every person who shall collect or receive money or property from another for a commission to be retained out of the money or other property so collected or received, and who shall fraudulently retain out of that money or property so collected or received more than the amount of the commission, and shall embezzle or fraudulently convert it to his or her own use, or shall take or secrete it with intent to embezzle or fraudulently to convert the same to his or her own use.
The penalties if convicted include a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or three (3) times the value of the money or property thus embezzled or converted, whichever is greater, or imprisoned not more than twenty (20) years, or both. If the sum or value of the property embezzled is less than one hundred dollars ($100), the penalties include a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
If you or a family member has been charged with robbery, burglary or embezzlement, please allow Attorney Robert H. Humphrey's reputation, experience and skill to successfully guide you through the legal process. Please contact Attorney Robert H. Humphrey, Esq., at 401-816-5862 or e-mail him at rhh@rhumphreylaw.com.