Stealing From An Employee Or Stealing From An Employer: Which Is Worse?

There is no shortage of stories about workers stealing from their bosses. We often hear about cashiers pocketing money from the till, but workers also siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars into their personal accounts on a regular basis. Of course, employers are not entirely innocent, either. Wage theft is a relatively common practice – and sometimes workers lose millions due to this practice. Which is worse? What should you do if accused of theft in Rockland County?

Bergen County Woman Accused of Stealing $100,000 From Her Employer 

In September of 2024, it was reported that a woman in Bergen County had been accused of stealing almost $100,000 from her employer. The real estate company promptly fired her after discovering this alleged theft – and the employee now faces charges of second-degree theft by deception. Authorities claim that she transferred company funds into her own personal bank account.

Second-degree theft by deception is a serious offense in New Jersey. You may face this charge if accused of stealing more than $75,000 worth of assets in the same manner as detailed above. The penalty for this crime is up to a decade in prison and a fine of up to $150,000. In addition, you may have to pay restitution based on the amount of stolen funds.

New York Attorney General Exposes Wage Theft in Rockland County 

Also in September of 2024, the New York State Attorney exposed wage theft that affected employees in Rockland County, Long Island, and New York City. Workers at 29 cellphone and wireless stores had a total of $750,000 in wages stolen by their employer. In addition, the company is accused of retaliating against any worker who complained about the wage theft.

Specifically, the company allegedly deducted money for lost or stolen merchandise, refused to pay overtime, created fraudulent commission systems, and then failed to pay commission. The company is also accused of charging its workers for uniforms and background checks. Finally, the business misclassified some workers to avoid paying overtime and refused to give them breaks.

With all that said, the owner of the company does not seem to have faced any criminal charges. Because of the way corporations are structured, companies that steal from employees often bear the brunt of criminal charges. Obviously, a corporation cannot go to prison in the same way as an individual – and this provides a questionable layer of protection for entrepreneurs.

It is interesting to compare these two reports. On the one hand, the real estate employee stole $100,000 and faces a decade in prison. On the other hand, the wireless company in New York stole more than seven times as much from its workers – and yet the CEO seems to have faced zero criminal consequences.

Can a Theft Defense Lawyer in Rockland County Help? 

A New City criminal defense lawyer may be able to help defendants accused of stealing from their employers. Often, these cases are caused by honest misunderstandings, accounting errors, or similar issues. Phillip J. Murphy, Attorney at Law has considerable experience with defending against theft charges in New York. Reach out today, book a consultation, and get started with a defense strategy.

Sources: 

thedigestonline.com/news/nj-woman-charged-with-stealing-100k/

patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/wage-theft-investigation-nets-former-best-wireless-employees-750k