Can I be charged with fraud for withdrawing money from my joint bank account?
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Can I be charged with fraud for withdrawing money from my joint bank account?
My soon-to-be-ex wife, has skipped out on her share of the phone bill 4 times, totaling around $285.60. I withdrew this money from the joint account that we have together and now her roommate is saying it’s her money; she’s pressing charges. What should be my next course of action?
Asked on August 4, 2012 under Criminal Law, Washington
Answers:
Kevin Bessant / Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Typically you can not be charged for withdrawing monies from a joint bank account so long as you have the legal authorization from the bank to withdraw these funds, meaning your name is on the joint account and you are an authorized user of the account. You will want to discuss this scenario with a criminal defense attorney in your are to discuss possible fraud charges, but I do not foresee any criminal charges being filed for a joint account.
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