State v. Cohoon

In general terms embezzlement “is the fraudulent conversion of property by one who has lawfully acquired possession of it for the use and benefit of the owner.” The mere act of converting or appropriating property to one’s own use is not sufficient to constitute the offense. In order to convict, the State must not only offer evidence of appropriation, but it must go farther and offer evidence that such act was done with a fraudulent purpose or corrupt intent. This idea was expressed in S. v. McDonald, 133 N. C., 680, 45 S. E., 582, in these words: “We think, therefore, that the conversion of…