An embezzlement accusation can start quietly, with an audit that flags missing funds, a call from an employer, or a visit from a federal agent. Embezzlement means taking or misusing money or property that a person was trusted to manage, such as a company account or a client’s funds.
In the Kansas City area, the same conduct can be charged in Missouri state court, Kansas state court, or federal court, and the system involved shapes the possible penalties. Not every investigation leads to a criminal charge, and a Kansas City embezzlement attorney can help you learn early which court could hear the case.
Sandage Law LLC focuses only on criminal defense, including white collar crime defense, and our attorneys bring more than 60 years of combined experience to every case. We keep clients informed at each stage and build the defense around their own account of what happened. Call (816) 753-0800 or contact us to schedule a free consultation.
When Does Embezzlement Become a Federal Case?
Embezzlement becomes a federal case when the money or property has a federal connection, such as a bank, an organization that receives federal program funds, or a federal agency, or when the scheme relied on interstate wire communications (phone calls, emails, or wire transfers that cross state lines). Federal statutes that reach this conduct include:
| Statute | Who or what it reaches | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 18 U.S.C. 656 | Officers, directors, agents, and employees of banks, or anyone connected with a bank in any capacity | Embezzling, taking, or willfully misapplying the bank’s money, funds, or credits |
| 18 U.S.C. 666 | Agents of an organization, or of a state, local, or tribal government or agency, that receives more than $10,000 in federal program benefits in a one-year period | Embezzling, stealing, or intentionally misapplying property worth $5,000 or more that the organization or government owns or controls |
| 18 U.S.C. 641 | Money, records, or other things of value belonging to the United States or a federal department or agency | Embezzling, stealing, or knowingly converting that property |
| 18 U.S.C. 1343 | Anyone who devises a scheme to defraud, or to obtain money or property through false pretenses | Using interstate or foreign wire, radio, or television communications to carry out the scheme |
Wire fraud can be charged alongside any of the other three statutes. Our attorneys handle federal criminal defense, including wire fraud, and we review the records behind a federal charge to find gaps in what the government must prove, such as the federal connection each statute requires.
How Do Missouri and Kansas Define Embezzlement?
Missouri’s stealing statute is broad enough to reach embezzlement. Under Section 570.030 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, stealing includes appropriating, meaning taking or using, another person’s property or services with the purpose to deprive the owner of it, either without consent or through deceit or coercion.
Kansas law takes a similar approach through its theft statute. Under Section 21-5801 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.), theft includes obtaining or exerting unauthorized control over property or services, or obtaining control by deception, with intent to permanently deprive the owner. Because the statute covers exerting unauthorized control, not only obtaining it, it can reach money a person was already trusted to handle.
Prosecutors in either state must prove that intent to deprive the owner, so what a person meant to do with the money can be central to the defense.
What Are the Penalties for Embezzlement in Kansas City?
Penalties depend on the law charged and, for most of these laws, the amount involved:
| Law | Penalty tiers |
|---|---|
| Bank embezzlement (18 U.S.C. 656) | Up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine; up to one year if the amount is $1,000 or less |
| Wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1343) | Up to 20 years and a fine; up to 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine if the offense affects a financial institution or is connected to a presidentially declared disaster or emergency |
| Federal program theft (18 U.S.C. 666) | Up to 10 years and a fine |
| Theft of federal property (18 U.S.C. 641) | Up to 10 years and a fine; up to one year if the total value across all counts is $1,000 or less |
| Missouri stealing (Section 570.030) | Class C felony at $25,000 or more (3 to 10 years); class D felony at $750 or more (up to 7 years); generally a misdemeanor below $750 (up to one year for a class A misdemeanor) |
| Kansas theft (K.S.A. 21-5801) | Severity level 5 felony at $100,000 or more; severity level 7 at $25,000 to under $100,000; severity level 9 at $1,500 to under $25,000; class A misdemeanor under $1,500 (up to one year) |
Missouri’s prison ranges by felony class come from Section 558.011, while Kansas ties each severity level to a sentencing grid that also weighs criminal history. Under 18 U.S.C. 3663A, a federal judge generally must also order restitution, meaning repayment of the victim’s losses, when a property or fraud offense causes an identifiable victim a financial loss.
Because the dollar amount drives the tier, we review account statements, transaction records, and the timing of each transfer to find weaknesses in the prosecution’s figures.
Which Courts Hear Kansas City Embezzlement Cases?
Where a case is heard depends on which law is charged and where it is filed:
- Missouri circuit courts: State stealing charges go to the circuit court in the county where they are filed, including the Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City and the Clay, Platte, and Cass County circuit courts.
- Kansas district courts: State theft charges go to the district court in the filing county, including Johnson County District Court in Olathe and Wyandotte County District Court in Kansas City, Kansas.
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri: Federal charges from the Missouri side are heard here, in Kansas City.
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas: Federal charges from the Kansas side are heard here, including at its courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas.
Sandage Law LLC defends people accused in Missouri, Kansas, and federal court, so a case that crosses the state line can stay with the same team.
Talk With a Kansas City Embezzlement Attorney
An embezzlement investigation can put your job, your professional license, and your savings at risk all at once, and not knowing what comes next is hard. Sandage Law LLC offers a free consultation to talk through where your matter stands and which court it may be headed toward. Contact us or call (816) 753-0800 today to speak with a Kansas City embezzlement attorney on our team.