What should I do if I was falsely accused of stealing?
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What should I do if I was falsely accused of stealing?
I was working for 7 years looking after my boss’s house and pets. His wife accused me yesterday of stealing $3000. However, I wasn’t there because I was at a friend’s place. I told them to report the matter and they didn’t and they told me to leave.
Asked on March 6, 2017 under Criminal Law, Alaska
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
1) In terms of any criminal charges, unless there is evidence you were responsible, you should not be convicted; indeed, unless there is evidence, the charges most likely should be dismissed--and if they aren't, you should be able to defend yourself in court, since to convict you, the state (i.e. the prosecutor) would have to be able to prove that you stole by evidence "beyond a reasonable doubt." If you can show that at the time, you were elsewhere (e.g. by your friend's and your testimony), it is very unlikely that they can do this.
2) In terms of your job, they can of course fire you for this, whether they had evidence or not. Employment is "employment at will"; you can be terminated at any time, for any reason, even without proof of wrongdoing.
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