People v. Traster
California Court of Appeal
4 Cal. Rptr. 3d 680 (2003)
Traster (defendant), hired as a law firm's computer consultant, told the firm's administrator he could get discounted Microsoft licenses through "Billpoint," and was given the firm's credit card to spend roughly $37,000 on the purchase; Billpoint was actually just a payment-processing intermediary, and Traster had set up a seller's account there under his own consulting company's name, charging the firm's card to pay himself. He resigned shortly after, falsely claimed the licenses were locked in a cabinet, and the firm cancelled the transaction before Traster's account was ever credited. He was convicted of theft by false pretenses and appealed.
Whether theft by false pretenses requires that the victim intend to give the defendant unconditional ownership of the money or property, as distinct from larceny by trick, which involves only a transfer of limited-purpose possession.