Embezzlement is defined as theft of funds that have been placed in a legal trust or to an employer, adversely affecting businesses and people worldwide. Those who are involved in this federal crime often exhibit certain behaviors, such as living beyond their means, complaints about lack of authority, excessive family or peer pressure for success, instability in life situations, and control issues.

Embezzlement Red Flags

Embezzlers often exhibit behaviors that should be interpreted as red flags, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. In over 80 percent of the reported cases, the embezzler has exhibited at least one of these additional behavioral traits in the period before the embezzlement was discovered:

While often associated with similar-sounding and related property crimes, offenses pertaining to burglary in Illinois are handled as a separate classification under law. Television and movies have promulgated the image of a burglar as an individual who breaks into a home or business to steal money or personal belongings. While such portrayals are not entirely inaccurate, they also do not tell the whole story. Burglary charges can be much more nuanced than many may realize.

Burglary Basics

Illinois law specifies that burglary is committed when, without proper authority, an individual “knowingly enters or without authority remains within a building” or other property intending to commit a theft or other felony. The law also indicates that a burglary can take place in any home, commercial building, housetrailer, boat or watercraft, aircraft, motor vehicle, or railroad car.

It can be easy to understand how identity theft can create serious problems for victims. Perpetrators will often use personal information, such as Social Security numbers or credit card data, to falsely obtain credit or access to the victims’ money, often leaving the victim responsible for dealing with the aftermath. However, there is another type of identity theft that is causing increasing concern around the country centering around access to health care services and prescription drugs. Medical identity theft, as it is known, is now attracting the attention of federal regulators looking to protect consumers.

Understanding Medical Identity Theft

Medical identity theft typically begins with the thief obtaining another person’s health insurance information, often through leaks or cyberattacks. The thief will then use that information to seek medical care and prescription drugs. The claims are subsequently filed to the victim’s health insurance, using the victim’s name and information, allowing the thief to essentially receive free care. As in most cases of identity theft, the victim is left responsible for the bills.

Arson is a particularly violent offense with potentially devastating effects on life as well as property. In the state of Illinois, possible charges related to the crime of arson are plentiful. They address the preparation involved in committing the offense, along with the actual act and resulting losses. According to recent reports, officials in Marissa, Illinois are dealing with a series of arsons throughout the town. Investigators are actively investigating the incidents and when arrests are made, the accused will likely face numerous charges.

What is Arson

The Illinois statute defines arson as the destruction of individual's property, valued at $150 or more, by setting it on fire. You can also face arson charges for setting your own property on fire, if it is done with the intention of defrauding an insurance company. There are varying levels of the arson offense:

Although all DUI charges are taken seriously in Illinois, being charged with a second or further offense can lead to critical penalties for you. One of the most important steps you can take after being charged with a DUI is to contact an experienced drunk driving defense attorney to manage your case. An experienced lawyer will review your case to ensure that your rights are protected and will work hard to advocate for you in court.

Multiple convictions can stack up and change how your charge is classified as well as what type of penalties you will face. Here’s what you need to know about the minimum punishments for multiple DUI offenses in Illinois:

• A second conviction is categorized as a Class A misdemeanor with mandatory minimum prison time of five days (or 240 community service hours). Your vehicle registration will be suspended and your driving privileges can be revoked for five years
• A third conviction is a Class 2 felony, leading to your driving privileges being revoked for a minimum period of 10 years with your vehicle registration suspended.
• A fourth conviction is also classified as a Class 2 felony with driving privileges revoked for life with no relief.
• A fifth conviction is a Class 1 felony with lifetime revoked driving privileges and vehicle registration suspension
• A sixth conviction is a Class X felony with revoked driving privileges and suspended vehicle registration.

Depending on the conditions at your arrest, such as your blood alcohol level and whether you were transporting any minors, you could face even more serious ramifications. Getting charged with a DUI when you already have a conviction on your record is a critical matter and one that should lead you to hire a talented DUI attorney. If you have been charged with a second or beyond DUI offense, you need to contact an experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney today.