Los Angeles workers embezzled $180,000 from Brentwood Golf Course

February 16, 2010
By Michael L. Guisti on February 16, 2010 8:00 AM |

Los Angeles - Recently, a Los Angeles golf course operated by the Veterans Affairs Medical Center was shut down due to financial improprieties. Two employees Christopher Spelio and Brian Clark were charged with embezzlement. The two had been undercounting green fees and concessionaire profits and pocketing thousands of dollars.

The pair was caught after local police had place surveillance equipment in the course's club house. The police had been tipped of by some employees that had been suspecting Spelio and Clark of stealing. Police found that the stealing had been going on for six years. They have estimated that the amount that has been embezzled amounts to $180,000.Other employees think it could be as much as $200,000

The two men entered in misdemeanor guilty pleas in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Orange County Theft Crimes attorney and Los Angeles white collar crime attorney, Michael Guisti predicts that these men might also charged with other theft crimes such as grand theft and money laundering

Embezzlement is considered a "White Collar" crime. This type of crime is also referred to as employee crime. Under the California Penal Code 186.11(a) embezzlement consist of a pattern of related felony conduct and the pattern of related felony conduct involves the taking, or result in the loss by another or entity of, more than $100,000 a person that is facing such a charge would need a good Orange County Criminal attorney. If you are facing these charges you could face upon conviction you could be facing imprisonment in federal prison.

There are a wide variety of theft crimes such as grand theft, petty theft, grand theft, petty theft, embezzlement, forgery, shoplifting, medical fraud, insurance fraud, band fraud, credit card fraud, identity theft, auto theft. Under California law if you are charged with a theft crime it can be very serious. Penalties for being charged with a theft crime are prison time, large fines, restitution, probation and parole. Theft crime penalties depend upon the seriousness of the crime and prior criminal records. It could also mean the loss of your professional license.

It is critical that if you are charged with theft crime that you retain a criminal defense attorney that has experience in this area of the law. If you or someone you know has been arrested or charged with a theft crime or a white collar crime like embezzlement. Call our skilled Los Angeles Criminal Attorney or Orange County criminal lawyer at Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti at 714-530-9690.