Current through the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 637:10 - Theft by Misapplication of PropertyI. A person commits theft if he obtains property from anyone or personal services from an employee upon agreement, or subject to a known legal obligation, to make a specified payment or other disposition to a third person, whether from that property or its proceeds or from his own property to be reserved in an equivalent or agreed amount, if he purposely or recklessly fails to make the required payment or disposition and deals with the property obtained or withheld as his own. II. Liability under paragraph I is not affected by the fact that it may be impossible to identify particular property as belonging to the victim at the time of the failure to make the required payment or disposition.III. An officer or employee of the government or of a financial institution is presumed: (a) To know of any legal obligation relevant to his liability under this section, and(b) To have dealt with the property as his own if he fails to pay or account upon lawful demand, or if an audit reveals a shortage or falsification of his accounts.IV. As used in this section: (a) "Financial institution" means a bank, insurance company, credit union, safety deposit company, savings and loan association, investment trust, or other organization held out to the public as a place of deposit of funds or medium of savings or collective investment. (b) "Government" means the United States, any state or any county, municipality or other political unit within territory belonging to the United States, or any department, agency, or subdivision of any of the foregoing, or any corporation or other association carrying out the functions of government or formed pursuant to interstate compact or international treaty.1971, 518:1, eff. Nov. 1, 1973.