Theft & white collar defense
A theft or fraud allegation threatens a reputation built over a lifetime. The defense should be equally serious — from day one.
Theft and financial charges reach far beyond the courtroom. Even a misdemeanor conviction can end careers and licenses that took decades to build, because employers and licensing boards treat honesty offenses differently than anything else. The defense has to account for both tracks: the criminal case, and the professional life around it.
Charges handled here
- Retail theft: shoplifting, price-tag altering, self-checkout under-ringing.
- Felony theft: property valued over $2,500 (Class H–G felony).
- Theft by employee: cash, inventory, or proprietary information.
- Embezzlement: misappropriation of entrusted funds.
- Fraud: insurance, wire, mail, credit card, and loan fraud.
- Forgery: creating, altering, or using fraudulent documents (Class H felony).
- Identity theft: using another person's identifying information (Class H felony).
- Receiving stolen property: knowing possession of stolen goods.
- Worthless checks and computer crimes: including unauthorized access and data theft.
Wisconsin theft penalties
Theft penalties turn primarily on the value of the property:
| Value of property | Classification | Potential penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $2,500 | Class A misdemeanor | Up to 9 months jail, $10,000 fine |
| $2,500 – $5,000 | Class I felony | Up to 3.5 years prison, $10,000 fine |
| $5,000 – $10,000 | Class H felony | Up to 6 years prison, $10,000 fine |
| $10,000 – $100,000 | Class G felony | Up to 10 years prison, $25,000 fine |
| Over $100,000 | Class F felony | Up to 12.5 years prison, $25,000 fine |
Penalties are enhanced for theft from vulnerable adults, theft by employees, and repeat offenders. Restitution is typically ordered on top of any fine.
Defense strategies
Intent
Theft requires intent to permanently deprive the owner of property. Honest mistakes, ownership misunderstandings, and good-faith claims of right are real defenses, and intent is exactly where circumstantial cases are weakest.
The valuation
Misdemeanor or felony (and which felony) depends on the alleged value. Inflated valuations and questionable appraisal methods get challenged, because overcharging is common and consequential.
How the investigation was run
Financial investigations overreach: searches beyond warrant scope, records seized without authority, statements taken without warnings. Every step gets reviewed against what the law permits.
The State's accounting
Embezzlement and fraud cases usually rest on a financial analysis. Forensic accounting experts on the defense side can test the methodology, surface innocent explanations for discrepancies, and expose gaps.
Professional licenses
For nurses, teachers, agents, accountants, and other licensed professionals, the resolution has to be built with the licensing board in mind, not discovered by it later.
Diversion and restitution
First offenses and lower-value cases can often resolve through deferred prosecution or diversion with restitution, sometimes ending in outright dismissal. Getting there takes early, organized work.
Whenever you're ready to talk, someone steady is ready to listen.
The first conversation is free and confidential. It costs nothing to find out where you stand, and it's the first step toward getting your footing back.