After pleading guilty to conspiracy to embezzle over $2.7 million from a U.S. Government fund, two former U.S. Army soldiers were sentenced on March 20, 2015 to imprisonment for 57 months and forced to pay restitution. Attorneys Weintraub and Alper were the defense team on the case.
Former U.S. Soldiers Lose Honor
It was revealed during the course of the trial that the two defendants had access to a U.S. bank account in Saudi Arabia, where they were commissioned as finance officers and to provide support for military training missions. The money was then extracted from the accounts, then shipped to the U.S. in boxes, all in cash.
Only about $600, 000 of the money was able to be recovered, which had been liquidated from the properties that the two had purchased, which included a house, boats, and automobiles.
It is a wonder what the motive behind the deed was for the two veteran U.S. soldiers, one a major who has served for 20 years, and the other a sergeant first class. The judge presiding in the case claimed that the defendants demonstrated "out of control greed."
According to Ben Alper, defense attorney for the major: "He was a model soldier until this conduct occurred."
The major contended that he had no recollection of any of the incidents, as he had been in a car collision that had apparently erased over 20 years of memory.
Defense for Federal Embezzlement Charges
Currently, the FBI is working towards ensuring that U.S. funds cannot be easily mishandled or abused in the future. As demonstrated by this case, the costs of federal embezzlement charges can be overwhelming. Especially for the former U.S. Army soldiers, who are held to a much higher standard to uphold the law. It takes an attorney who is experienced not only with criminal defense, but also with federal legislation in order to defend complex criminal cases and federal crimes, including embezzlement.
If you are facing criminal charges on any level, it is important that you retain legal counsel from our Atlanta criminal defense lawyers. As former federal prosecutors, we have experience being on the other side and use this to our advantage to protect your rights.