Missouri Embezzlement Laws: Stealing, Forgery and Penalties (2026)

Chapter 570 of the Missouri Revised Statutes has no offense titled embezzlement. An employee, agent or other person who appropriates property entrusted to them commits stealing under RSMo 570.030, which is generally a class D felony at $750 or more and a class C felony at $25,000 or more. The one section that uses the word as an element is 570.217, which makes it a felony for a bank or credit union insider who "embezzles, appropriates, or purposely misapplies" the institution's funds. Forgery is a class D felony in every form (570.090). For other states, see our guide to embezzlement and forgery laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-18. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers the Missouri statutes on stealing as it applies to embezzlement (570.010 to 570.070), financial-institution insider offenses (570.148, 570.217, 570.219), financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability (570.145), managing a care-facility resident's funds (198.097), official misconduct (576.040), forfeiture of public office (561.021) and public-employee pension forfeiture and setoff (105.669, 70.695), the forgery and false-document sections of chapter 570, bad checks (570.120), limitation periods (556.036), the felony and misdemeanor ranges (558.002, 558.011), persistent-offender terms (558.016) and probation (557.011). It does not cover the full stealing table (see Missouri theft laws), identity theft, scams and victim reporting, federal offenses, military-code offenses, or local ordinances.

What is embezzlement in Missouri?

Missouri charges embezzlement as stealing. Under RSMo 570.030.1(1), "A person commits the offense of stealing if he or she: (1) Appropriates property or services of another with the purpose to deprive him or her thereof, either without his or her consent or by means of deceit or coercion."

The definitions in 570.010, which apply throughout chapter 570, explain why that clause reaches a person who already holds the property, such as an employee or agent. "Appropriate" means "to take, obtain, use, transfer, conceal, retain or dispose." "Deprive" includes "(a) To withhold property from the owner permanently; or (b) To restore property only upon payment of reward or other compensation; or (c) To use or dispose of property in a manner that makes recovery of the property by the owner unlikely." "Property" means "anything of value, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, in possession or in action."

Because the offense turns on appropriating "without his or her consent or by means of deceit or coercion," the statute does not set a separate entrustment element. An employee who uses or keeps an employer's money falls within the same offense, and the same value ladder, as any other stealing.

Claim of right

Section 570.070 sets one statutory defense to stealing: "A person does not commit an offense under section 570.030 if, at the time of the appropriation, he or she: (1) Acted in the honest belief that he had the right to do so; or (2) Acted in the honest belief that the owner, if present, would have consented to the appropriation." Under 570.070.2, "The defendant shall have the burden of injecting the issue of claim of right."

Is embezzlement a felony in Missouri?

Generally at $750 or more. The value-based grades of stealing under 570.030 are:

• $25,000 or more: class C felony (570.030.4(1)).
• $750 or more: class D felony (570.030.5(1)).
• Under $150, with no prior stealing-related findings of guilt and property not of a listed type: class D misdemeanor (570.030.7).
• Otherwise: class A misdemeanor, "if no other penalty is specified in this section" (570.030.8).

The grade does not always follow value. Section 570.030 makes stealing a class D felony regardless of value when the offender physically takes the property from the person of the victim and for listed property types, such as credit or debit devices, firearms, motor vehicles, wills and court records. Our Missouri theft laws page has the full table.

How value is measured

Under 570.020(1), value is the market value at the time and place of the crime, or, "if such cannot be satisfactorily ascertained," the cost of replacement within a reasonable time. If the victim is a merchant and the property is a type the merchant sells in the ordinary course of business, it "shall be valued at the price that such merchant would normally sell such property." "The value of an instrument constituting evidence of debt, such as a check, draft or promissory note, shall be deemed the amount due or collectible thereon or thereby, such figure ordinarily being the face amount of the indebtedness less any portion thereof which has been satisfied" (570.020(2)(a)). And "When the value of property cannot be satisfactorily ascertained pursuant to the standards set forth in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section, its value shall be deemed to be an amount less than seven hundred fifty dollars" (570.020(3)).

Adding up a series of takings

Repeated takings can be combined. Under 570.030.11, "The value of property or services appropriated pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct, whether from the same or several owners and whether at the same or different times, constitutes a single criminal episode and may be aggregated in determining the grade of the offense, except as set forth in subsection 10 of this section." Subsection 10 allows the opposite approach: "The appropriation of any property or services of a type listed in subsection 2, 3, 5, or 6 of this section or of a value of seven hundred fifty dollars or more may be considered a separate felony and may be charged in separate counts."

Prior stealing convictions

Under 570.030.6(3), stealing is a class E felony if "A person has previously been found guilty of three stealing-related offenses committed on three separate occasions where such offenses occurred within ten years of the date of occurrence of the present offense." Under 570.030.9, "If a violation of this section is subject to enhanced punishment based on prior findings of guilt, such findings of guilt shall be pleaded and proven in the same manner as required by section 558.021."

The general extended-term statute also applies. A "persistent offender" is "one who has been found guilty of two or more felonies committed at different times, or one who has been previously found guilty of a dangerous felony" as defined in 556.061 (558.016.3), and a court "shall sentence" a persistent offender found guilty of a class B, C, D or E felony "to the authorized term of imprisonment for the offense that is one class higher than the offense for which the person is found guilty" (558.016.7). Since August 28, 2026, 558.016.1 says the court "shall" impose that extended term (it previously said "may").

Banks, credit unions and other financial institutions

Missouri has a separate insider offense for financial institutions, and it is the one place chapter 570 uses "embezzles" as an element. Under 570.217.1, a person commits misapplication of funds of a financial institution "if, being an officer, director, agent, or employee of, or connected in any capacity with, any financial institution, he or she embezzles, appropriates, or purposely misapplies any of the money, funds, or credits of such financial institution or any moneys, funds, assets, or securities entrusted to the custody or care of such financial institution, or to the custody or care of any such agent, officer, director, employee, or receiver."

Under 570.217.2, the offense "is a class E felony, unless the amount embezzled, appropriated, or misapplied is seven hundred fifty dollars or more, in which case it is a class D felony." So it is a felony at any amount.

Two related sections:

• False entries (570.219), class D felony. A person who "makes any false entry in any book, report, or statement of a financial institution with intent to injure or defraud such financial institution, or any other entity, or with intent to deceive any officer or director of a financial institution or any agent or examiner appointed to examine the affairs of such financial institution."
• Financial institution accounts fraud (570.148). Using false pretenses, devices or schemes to cause money to be withdrawn from or transferred out of a financial institution account. It "is a class B misdemeanor if the fraud amount is less than five hundred dollars." At $500 or more it is a class E felony for criminal negligence, class D if the person acts recklessly, class C if knowingly and class B if purposefully (570.148.4). Under 570.148.5, "no person shall be convicted under this section and another section related to the same theft of moneys."

Financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability

Section 570.145 is a separate offense, graded more steeply than stealing. It covers knowingly obtaining control over the property of an elderly person or person with a disability, with intent to permanently deprive the person of it, by means that include deceit, coercion and undue influence. The statute defines undue influence as "the use of influence by someone who exercises authority over an elderly person or person with a disability in order to take unfair advantage of that person's vulnerable state of mind, neediness, pain, or agony. Undue influence includes, but is not limited to, the improper or fraudulent use of a power of attorney, guardianship, conservatorship, or other fiduciary authority."

Under 570.145.2, the offense is a class A misdemeanor unless the value of the property is:

• $50 or more: class E felony.
• $750 or more: class D felony.
• $5,000 or more: class C felony.
• $25,000 or more: class B felony.
• $75,000 or more: class A felony.

The criminal code's general definitions supply the age: an "elderly person" is "a person sixty years of age or older," and a "disability" is "a mental, physical, or developmental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities or the ability to provide adequately for one's care or protection," where the impairment is supported by medical findings (556.061(24), (25)). Under 570.145.6, "It shall not be a defense to financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability that the accused reasonably believed that the victim was not an elderly person or person with a disability."

Managing a care-facility resident's money

Under RSMo 198.097.1, "Any person who assumes the responsibility of managing the financial affairs of an elderly or disabled person who is a resident of any facility licensed under this chapter is guilty of a class E felony if such person misappropriates the funds and fails to pay for the facility care of the elderly or disabled person." A person assumes that responsibility when he or she "receives, has access to, handles, or controls" the resident's monetary funds, "including but not limited to Social Security income, pension, cash, or other resident income." Separately, 570.145.7 makes it a violation of the financial-exploitation statute for a person "receiving or in the possession of funds of a Medicaid-eligible elderly person or person with a disability residing in a facility licensed under chapter 198 to fail to remit to the facility in which the Medicaid-eligible person resides all money owing the facility resident from any source."

For warning signs and where to report, see our guide to elder financial fraud.

Public officers and public money

Chapters 570 and 576 contain no separate felony for embezzling public funds. A public employee who appropriates public money falls within stealing under 570.030, a felony from $750. Three other provisions apply to public officers and employees.

Official misconduct (576.040)

Official misconduct is a class A misdemeanor (576.040.2). One listed form applies to local officers who divert funds. It reaches a person who "Is a city or county treasurer, city or county clerk, or other municipal or county officer and knowingly orders the payment of any money, or draws any warrant, or pays over any money for any purpose other than the specific purpose for which the same was assessed, levied and collected, unless it is or shall have become impossible to use such money for that specific purpose" (576.040.1(4)). The section also covers knowingly collecting taxes that are not due and demanding fees that are not due.

Loss of office (561.021)

Under RSMo 561.021.1, a public officer "who is convicted of an offense shall, upon sentencing, forfeit such office" if the offense is a felony or "an offense involving misconduct in office, or dishonesty," including on a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. Under 561.021.2, a person found guilty of a felony "shall be ineligible to hold any public office, elective or appointive, under the government of this state or any agency or political subdivision thereof, until the completion of his or her sentence or period of probation."

Loss of retirement benefits (105.669)

Under 105.669.1, "Any participant of a plan who is convicted of a felony offense listed in subsection 3 of this section, which is committed in direct connection with or directly related to the participant's duties as an employee on or after August 28, 2014, shall not be eligible to receive any retirement benefits from the respective plan based on service rendered on or after August 28, 2014, except a participant may still request from the respective retirement system a refund of the participant's plan contributions, including interest credited to the participant's account."

The offenses listed in 105.669.3, "or a substantially similar offense provided under federal law," are:

• "The offense of felony stealing under section 570.030 when such offense involved money, property, or services valued at five thousand dollars or more";
• felony receiving stolen property under the former section 570.080, at $5,000 or more;
• "The offense of forgery under section 570.090," with no dollar floor;
• felony counterfeiting under 570.103;
• bribery of a public servant under 576.010; and
• acceding to corruption under 576.020.

For the Local Government Employees Retirement System, 70.695 gives a political subdivision "the right of setoff for any claim arising from embezzlement by or fraud of a member, retirant, or beneficiary."

What is forgery in Missouri?

Forgery is defined in RSMo 570.090.1:

"1. A person commits the offense of forgery if, with the purpose to defraud, the person: (1) Makes, completes, alters or authenticates any writing so that it purports to have been made by another or at another time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case or with different terms or by authority of one who did not give such authority; or (2) Erases, obliterates or destroys any writing; or (3) Makes or alters anything other than a writing, including receipts and universal product codes, so that it purports to have a genuineness, antiquity, rarity, ownership or authorship which it does not possess; or (4) Uses as genuine, or possesses for the purpose of using as genuine, or transfers with the knowledge or belief that it will be used as genuine, any writing or other thing including receipts and universal product codes, which the person knows has been made or altered in the manner described in this section."

Under 570.090.2, "The offense of forgery is a class D felony." There is no misdemeanor form and no dollar threshold. Chapter 570 folds uttering into forgery: using a forged writing as genuine, possessing it to use as genuine, or transferring it is part of forgery itself under subdivision (4).

"Writing" is defined broadly in 570.010: it "includes printing, any other method of recording information, money, coins, negotiable instruments, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks and any other symbols of value, right, privilege or identification." A writing made "by authority of one who did not give such authority" is one of the listed forms of forgery. For the victim side of forged and washed checks, see our guide to mail theft and check washing.

Forging tools

Under 570.100.1, a person commits possession of a forging instrumentality "if, with the purpose of committing forgery, he or she makes, causes to be made or possesses any plate, mold, instrument or device for making or altering any writing or anything other than a writing." It is a class D felony (570.100.2).

Other forgery and false-document offenses in chapter 570

• Filing false documents (570.095). Filing or using false, forged or invalid documents with a government office, recorder, credit bureau or financial institution, with intent to defraud, deceive or harass. It "is a class D felony for the first offense," but a class C felony when, among other listed circumstances, "The defendant has been previously found guilty or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section" or the victim or named party is an elected official.
• Counterfeiting of marks (570.103). Selling or possessing for sale items with a counterfeit mark: a class A misdemeanor; a class E felony with a prior conviction, more than 100 but fewer than 1,000 items, or $750 or more in retail value; a class D felony with two priors, manufacturing, 1,000 or more items or $25,000 or more.
• Issuing a false instrument or certificate (570.110). A notary or official who issues an acknowledgment or certificate knowing it is false; "a class A misdemeanor."
• Mass manufacture or possession of fake IDs (570.380). Manufacturing or possessing five or more forged means of identification with intent to distribute; "a class D felony."
• Gift card fraud (570.137). Created by 2026 S.B. 1421, effective August 28, 2026: a class C felony at $25,000 or more, class D from $750 to under $25,000, and a class A misdemeanor under $750.
• Other sections: alteration or removal of item numbers (570.085), fraudulently stopping payment (570.125), credit and debit device fraud (570.130 and 570.135), and identity theft and trafficking in stolen identities (570.223 and 570.224; see our Missouri identity theft laws page).

Missouri embezzlement and forgery offenses and penalties

The ranges come from RSMo 558.011.1, which sets "The authorized terms of imprisonment, including both prison and conditional release terms": for a class A felony, "not less than ten years and not to exceed thirty years, or life imprisonment"; class B, 5 to 15 years; class C, "not less than three years and not to exceed ten years"; class D, "not to exceed seven years"; class E, "not to exceed four years"; a class A misdemeanor, "not to exceed one year"; and a class B misdemeanor, "not to exceed six months." Under 558.002.1, the fine may not exceed $10,000 for a class C, D or E felony, $2,000 for a class A misdemeanor and $500 for a class D misdemeanor; and if the person "has gained money or property through the commission of the offense," the court may instead fix a fine "not exceeding double the amount of the person's gain." These are the authorized prison terms if prison is imposed. Under 557.011.2, the court may instead "Suspend the imposition of sentence, with or without placing the person on probation" or "Pronounce sentence and suspend its execution, placing the person on probation." For a persistent offender, a class B to E felony carries the range of the next class up (558.016.7). The full class table is on our Missouri felony and misdemeanor classes page.

Bad checks

Under 570.120.4, "The offense of passing bad checks is a class A misdemeanor, unless: (1) The face amount of the check or sight order or the aggregated amounts is seven hundred fifty dollars or more; or (2) The issuer had no account with the drawee or if there was no such drawee at the time the check or order was issued, in which case passing a bad check is a class E felony."

Time limits for prosecution

Under RSMo 556.036.1, a prosecution for "any class A felony may be commenced at any time"; financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability of $75,000 or more is a class A felony (570.145.2). For other offenses, 556.036.2 sets the general periods: "(1) For any felony, three years, except as provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection; (2) For any misdemeanor, one year." Two extensions can apply after that period expires (556.036.3):

• "(1) Any offense a material element of which is either fraud or a breach of fiduciary obligation within one year after discovery of the offense by an aggrieved party or by a person who has a legal duty to represent an aggrieved party and who is himself or herself not a party to the offense, but in no case shall this provision extend the period of limitation by more than three years."
• "(2) Any offense based upon misconduct in office by a public officer or employee at any time when the person is in public office or employment or within two years thereafter, but in no case shall this provision extend the period of limitation by more than three years."

The period does not run while the accused is absent from the state (but this may not extend the period by more than 3 years), while the accused is concealing himself or herself from justice, or while a prosecution against the accused for the offense is pending in Missouri (556.036.6). Where a legislative purpose to prohibit a continuing course of conduct plainly appears, the offense is committed when the course of conduct ends (556.036.4).

Civil filing deadlines are on our Missouri statute of limitations page. For fraud schemes and where to report them, see our Missouri scam and fraud laws page.

Recent changes

• 2026 S.B. 1421 (effective August 28, 2026). Amended the chapter 570 definitions in 570.010 to add gift card terms, without changing "appropriate," "deprive," "property," "writing" or "financial institution," and created gift card fraud in 570.137.
• 2026 H.B. 2637 & 3155 merged with S.B. 888 (effective August 28, 2026). Changed 558.016.1 so that the court "shall," rather than "may," sentence a persistent offender to the extended term.
• 2025 S.B. 98 (effective August 28, 2025). Created financial institution accounts fraud in 570.148.
• 2025 H.B. 495 (effective August 28, 2025). Amended 570.030 to add organized-retail-theft tiers and related subsections. It did not change the value ladder, the aggregation rule, the appropriation clause or the prior-conviction rules described above.

Federal law

Federal law also reaches embezzlement from banks and federal programs and wire or mail fraud schemes; the embezzlement and forgery laws hub covers those statutes.

Related pages

• Embezzlement and forgery laws by state
• Missouri theft (stealing) laws
• Missouri felony and misdemeanor classes
• Missouri scam and fraud laws
• Missouri identity theft laws

This article is general legal information about Missouri criminal statutes, not legal advice. For a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Missouri.

Last updated: 2026-10-18.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is embezzlement a felony in Missouri?

Generally when the value is $750 or more. Embezzlement is charged as stealing under RSMo 570.030, a class D felony at $750 and a class C felony at $25,000. Smaller amounts are misdemeanors unless the property is a listed type or the person has three prior stealing-related findings within 10 years. Financial exploitation of a person 60 or older or a person with a disability is a separate offense and a felony from $50 (570.145).

Does Missouri have a crime called embezzlement?

Chapter 570 has no offense titled embezzlement; the conduct is stealing under 570.030. The bank-insider offense in 570.217, misapplication of funds of a financial institution, uses the word "embezzles" as one of its elements.

What is the penalty for embezzling $25,000 or more in Missouri?

Stealing of $25,000 or more is a class C felony under 570.030.4(1), with an authorized prison term of 3 to 10 years (558.011.1) and a fine up to $10,000 or double the gain (558.002). The court may instead suspend the sentence and order probation (557.011.2), and a persistent offender faces the class B range (558.016.7).

Is forgery a felony in Missouri?

Yes. Forgery under RSMo 570.090, including using or possessing a forged writing to use it as genuine, is a class D felony with a term of up to 7 years, at any amount.

Is signing someone else's name on a check forgery in Missouri?

Section 570.090.1(1) covers making or completing a writing, with purpose to defraud, so that it purports to have been made by another or by authority of one who did not give that authority. Negotiable instruments are writings under 570.010.

Can a public employee lose a pension for embezzlement in Missouri?

Under 105.669, a plan participant convicted of a listed felony committed in direct connection with the job on or after August 28, 2014, including felony stealing of $5,000 or more or forgery, or a substantially similar federal offense, loses plan retirement benefits for service from that date, though the participant may request a refund of contributions with interest.

How long does Missouri have to prosecute embezzlement?

Generally 3 years for a felony and 1 year for a misdemeanor (556.036.2), but a class A felony, such as financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability of $75,000 or more, may be charged at any time (556.036.1). An offense with fraud or a breach of fiduciary obligation as a material element may be charged within one year after discovery, extending the period by no more than 3 years.