New Jersey business owners want to keep their companies in the black as much as possible. When financial details seem to not add up, it is possible that the company could begin to suspect that an employee or multiple employees are embezzling from the company. Embezzlement is a serious crime, and you could inadvertently end up under scrutiny simply due to your position in the company.
If you work in some type of financial division of the company, whether that relates to bookkeeping, payroll, accounts receivable or something similar, you could end up as a person of interest right way if an embezzlement investigation begins. You and others in related financial positions may come into question first because of your close access to company funds.
What do investigations look for?
In some cases, the beginnings of an embezzlement investigation may not be obvious to those not directly involved. Higher-ups may begin by looking into certain financial records to determine whether any other explanations for discrepancies could exist. However, if more formal investigation begins, the following details may come under assessment:
- Whether any accounting records are missing
- Whether any documents have been changed unnecessarily or without explanation
- Whether accounting records do not line up with company bank or credit card statements
- Whether accounts receivable records show a number of past-due accounts
- Whether customers have a high number of credits on their accounts
- Whether inventory is missing
While you may not believe that you have conducted any wrongful actions at your place of employment, this does not mean that you immediately avoid questioning. In most cases, businesses will thoroughly interview anyone potentially connected to suspected criminal activity, and you could end up becoming a person of interest if investigators do not like your answers.
Enforcing your rights
Even if you do not believe you did anything wrong, you may want to review your legal rights and options at the first sign of an embezzlement investigation at your place of employment. Too often, individuals face accusations and then criminal charges when they do not deserve them. If this happens to you, you would have to defend against those allegations in court to maintain your innocence. As a result, knowing your options from the start could help you prepare in the event of such a troubling scenario.