Whether in Michigan or another state, facing criminal charges for embezzlement could have dire consequences. Authorities report that Robin DiMaggio, music director for the Arsenio Hall Show on TV and also formerly for the United Nations, was recently arrested and charged with white collar crimes allegedly committed in 2016. The complaint indicates that the charges involve embezzlement of funds meant for displaced and homeless children.
According to court documents, the music director failed to set up an escrow account for $750,000 that a financial sponsor provided for the artists he allegedly promised to secure for a charity concert. Instead, federal prosecutors say the defendant paid the money into his private bank account and proceeded to use the funds to pay living expenses, credit card debt and car payments. Further allegations state he spent over $250,000 on a house for his former wife.
Prosecutors say DiMaggio sent an email to the financial sponsor, suggesting a two-month postponement of the concert. He claimed that this was based upon recommendations by a group of managers. When the foundation’s sponsor requested the return of the funds it provided, the defendant allegedly said he had already paid each artist a deposit and would have to get that back before he could refund the sponsor.
The music director will likely face felony wire-fraud charges, and if he is convicted, he might receive a 20-year prison sentence. When anyone in Michigan faces white collar crimes charges, he or she would be best advised to secure the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Not only can a lawyer protect a defendant’s rights, but he or she can also advocate for the defendant throughout the legal proceedings with the goal to obtain the most favorable outcome for the client.