Czech lawyer given jail sentence for embezzling clients

A Czech lawyer has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for embezzling from his clients. Marián Št’astný was sentenced by a court in Olomouc after it heard how he embezzled 84 million crowns in funds that had been deposited with him for safekeeping. An original court sentence of five years dating from 2012 was increased after a series of new cases came to light. Št’astný was also barred for 10 years from his profession. He has said he will appeal the sentence with his defense lawyer saying the missing money was more the result of disorganization rather than deliberate embezzlement.

Author: Chris Johnstone