Tag Archives: Employee Theft

by | May 26, 2013 · 6:38 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Indiana Hotel “Human Resources Employee” Fired After Issuing “Fraudulent Paychecks” To Himself

“…the HR director was solely responsible for issuing the paychecks for all employees at the hotel…Police were told that more than $7,045 was hospitality industry employee theftpaid to the employee beyond his regular earnings for his job, beginning in December…his boss told police that an internal investigation turned up evidence of the bogus extra paychecks, prompting the worker’s firing…”

A hotel executive has been fired after the hotel’s manager told police that he had been writing extra paychecks to himself. Airport police were called this week to the Radisson Indianapolis Airport, where the general manager handed officers copies of fraudulent paychecks that had been written to the hotel’s director of human resources.

General Manager Nitin Talati declined to comment in his hotel’s lobby on Thursday. His staff could be heard telling phone callers that the hotel was entirely booked for this week’s Indianapolis 500.

Police said Talati told them he had called the employee in when the checks were discovered and the worker admitted to writing himself the extra paychecks. The worker then signed a promissory note on April 12 agreeing to repay the money. Talati reported to police that none of the money had been repaid, so his company now wants to press charges.

For more:  http://www.theindychannel.com/news/call-6-investigators/former-hotel-executive-at-radisson-indianapolis-airport-accused-of-writing-himself-extra-paychecks

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by | March 23, 2013 · 12:10 pm

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: South Dakota Restaurant Account Manager Charged With Stealing More Than $100,000; Deposited Checks Into Personal Account Over 7 Month Period

“…(the defendant) is accused of depositing money into her own bank account on 12 occasions, mostly through checks, with the thefts targeting Minervas of Bismarck, N.D. and the Phillips Avenue Diner in Sioux Falls totaling $97,477…(she) also reportedly deposited hospitality industry employee theftmoney electronically three other times, for a total loss to the business of $101,600. All the thefts took place between February and September last year…”

A former account manager for Minervas and the Phillips Avenue Diner has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the company last year. Bobbie Sue Davis, 28, worked for WR Restaurants Management when the thefts began, according to court paperwork. The company manages restaurants across North and South Dakota.

During an interview with an SFPD detective on Nov. 19, Davis allegedly admitted to stealing the money, saying she’d been having “personal financial issues” that year.

Davis was arrested on a charge of aggravated grand theft by embezzlement of $100,000 or more on Feb. 5 and released on bond. A grand jury indicted Davis this week. If convicted, she could spend up to 15 years in prison.

For more:  http://www.argusleader.com/article/20130322/UPDATES/130322021/Woman-accused-embezzling-more-than-100K-from-area-restaurant-chain

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by | February 15, 2013 · 6:46 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Hawaii Hotel Employee Arrested For Stealing $11,000 Worth Of Jewelry And Goods From Luggage In Storage Room

“…a review of video surveillance of the storage room revealed that Bueno allegedly entered into the storage room through the service elevator, picked up and concealed the bags within his work cart and exited the hotel securitystorage room…a few minutes later shows (him) allegedly reentering the storage room and placing the bags back on a bellman cart, then exiting again through the service elevator…”

An employee from a hotel in Wailea was arrested on Monday on suspicion of theft after a couple visiting from Maryville, MI, reported more than $11,000 in jewelry and other goods missing from their bags after check-in, police said. Maui police arrested resort houseman, John Bueno for alleged second degree theft in connection with the incident.

According to police reports, the couple arrived at the hotel at around 1:20 p.m. on Monday Feb. 11, checked their bags with a bellman, and proceeded to the pool area to wait until their room was ready.

A few minutes later, police say the female visitor returned to the bell desk and inquired about one of the bags to retrieve an item from within. A check of the storage room found all of their bags missing, and a search of the area by security personnel and hotel managers turned up with negative results.

A few minutes later, another check of the storage room revealed that the bags were returned; however, upon checking each bag, it was learned that various pieces of jewelry and a camera totaling $ 11,100 were missing, said Maui Police Lt. Wayne Ibarra.

Bueno was placed under arrest later that afternoon, and posted bail, which was set at $1,000. He is scheduled to appear in court at 10:30 a.m. on March 14, 2013.

For more:  http://mauinow.com/2013/02/14/wailea-hotel-worker-arrested-in-theft-case/

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by | January 26, 2013 · 7:57 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Pennsylvania Restaurant Manager Charged With Stealing Over $160,000; Made “Unauthorized ATM Withdrawals, Credit Card Purchases”

“…a certified public accountant’s review found that (he) made a string of unauthorized ATM withdrawals, unauthorized credit card purchases and unauthorized check card purchases totaling $163,601 from the employee theftbusiness accounts of Cosmopolitan…in addition to dinner cruises and visits to a strip club, (he) allegedly spent the money on household items at a retail store…”

A former general manager of Cosmopolitan in Allentown allegedly stole $163,601 from the restaurant and spent it on things like dinner cruises and visits to a strip club.

Cosmopolitan opened in October 2010. Fortunato was hired in September 2010 and promoted to general manager about a month later, District Attorney Jim Martin’s office said today in announcing the charges.

Fortunato’s responsibilities included overseeing the daily operations of the restaurant, handling employee payroll, paying bills to suppliers and collecting receipts for the business.

Fortunato also was given check-signing authority for the restaurant’s various bank accounts and ATM/debit card account at Wells Fargo Bank, a Visa card, an American Express account and access to cash receipts at the restaurant, Martin’s office said.

His responsibilities included using any of the accounts, but only for operations of the restaurant, according to the district attorney’s office.

Last June, Cosmopolitan co-owner Myron Haydt was reviewing the restaurant’s financial records and found a series of suspected unauthorized purchases by Fortunato, according to the statement.

For more: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/allentown/index.ssf/2013/01/former_manager_of_allentowns_c.html

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by | December 28, 2012 · 6:50 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Wisconsin Hotel Manager Charged With Stealing More Than $28,000; Purchased Prepaid Credit And Gift Cards From Company Accounts

A police audit of credit card purchases made by Huff on her company account revealed $19,603 in prepaid Visa and other gift card purchases made at a local grocery store during a six-month period. Investigators also employee theftdiscovered checks Huff wrote for personal use as well as additional credit card purchases for a cellphone, a computer, auto insurance and auto repairs.

A Schofield woman charged with stealing more than $28,000 from two hotels she managed will be sentenced Jan. 10 after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors. Gretchen Huff, 32, was charged in March with embezzlement after investigators discovered thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges to her employer’s credit card for personal purchases. Huff is the former general manager of two Ghidorzi Co. hotels, the Country Inns and Suites in Schofield and the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Weston.

Managers at Ghidorzi Cos. became suspicious of Huff in January after discovering a one-week van rental in August 2011 for $1,029. Police say Huff paid for the rental with a business credit card issued in her name. Huff admitted renting the van to go on vacation with her children in Nebraska and offered to pay back the money. Further investigation by Ghidorzi officials uncovered additional unauthorized charges, including $2,000 for a used car and stereo equipment Huff said she purchased for a boyfriend in Chicago.

For more:  http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/article/20121228/SPJ0101/312280278/Sentencing-set-woman-charged-hotel-thefts?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s

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by | December 12, 2012 · 7:22 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Illinois Restaurant Manager Charged With Stealing Over $10,000 In Employee Paycheck Scam; Forged Names On Bogus Paychecks

“…she allegedly used information records of at least four former workers to pull off the scam, which came to light only after one of those former workers took concerns to the restaurant’s owner…created the accounts, employee theft“clocked in” workers to show they worked certain hours and then forged their names on the resulting paychecks…”

The manager of the Jerseyville McDonald’s restaurant was charged this week, accused of theft for allegedly using former workers’ information to create bogus paychecks that she cashed for herself.

The amount of money involved is likely in the tens of thousands of dollars, although Jersey County State’s Attorney Ben Goetten said the case still is being investigated.

“This should be a wake-up call to other business owners out there,” he told The Telegraph.

Officially, the amount of money taken is listed in the charge as between $10,000 and $100,000.

The alleged victim, Lora Dover of Carrollton, said she became alarmed after being told by Medicaid that she was not eligible for her latest disability check because of unreported income from 2012. Turns out, she had not worked at the McDonald’s in 2012.

For more:  http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/local/article_8692a192-43e5-11e2-b4f6-001a4bcf6878.html

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by | September 8, 2012 · 6:10 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Risks: Restaurant Owners Use "Written Integrity Tests" To Limit High Costs Of "Employee Theft And Drug Use"

“…restaurant  owners  must address ethical issues when evaluating job applicants for  employment.  Historically, employers have relied upon reference checks,  criminal background checks and interviews to address these issues…now a growing number of restaurant owners use written integrity testing  to improve their  ability to screen  out high risk job  applicants…”

Employee theft and other forms of counterproductivity are highly significant  factors in determining the success of restaurants.  While employers tend to  have some awareness of the frequency with which employees engage in theft, drug  use and other counterproductive behaviors, the following research findings are  helpful in providing an objective  perspective of  how  frequently  these problematic behaviors occur:

  • The National Restaurant Association recently reported that the cost of  employee theft for its members is $8.5 billion annually or approximately 4  percent of food sales.
  • A study released in 2007 by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health  Administration indicated that the highest rate of illicit drug use occurs among  restaurant workers. A whopping 17 percent admitted to illegal drug use in the  last month.

Extensive research documents that integrity tests are good predictors of  whether an individual will engage in various forms of workplace  counterproductivity (e.g., theft, illegal drug use).  Also, these  assessments do not adversely impact minority candidates, which is a major  downside to criminal background checks.  Further, integrity tests are  relatively inexpensive and can be easily administered online. As a result, high  risk applicants can be screened from contention before wasting time and money on  interviews, criminal background checks and reference checks.

Read more at  http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/screening-job-applicants-to-minimize-employee-theft-and-other-forms-of-counterproductivity-in-the-restaurant-industry-0274014#MbysIc4cypbhdqY1.99

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by | September 3, 2012 · 6:18 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Wisconsin Restaurant Employee Arrested For "Cashing Two Unauthorized Businsess Checks" In His Name

“…the owner of Espana Restaurant and Bar discovered Johnson had cashed two unauthorized checks from the business in his name for $160 and $350…the checks were kept in a locked desk drawer in the basement of the business and were pre-signed to pay vendors…”

A 37-year-old Wauwatosa man is facing charges after he allegedly stole two checks from his employer and then cashed them in his name. Dana James Johnson was charged Thursday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with one count of theft. If convicted, he faces up to nine months in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Officers then went to Community Financial, 4525 W. North Ave., where they found security video footage of Johnson coming into the bank and cashing the checks.

For more:  http://wauwatosa.patch.com/articles/tosa-man-charged-with-stealing-checks-from-a-milwaukee-restaurant

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by | August 7, 2012 · 6:37 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Former Pennsylvania Hotel Manager Pleads Guilty To Stealing $52,000 During Two Year Period

He was charged with stealing from the Wingate Inn in Unity Township from April 2007 to August 2009 — which he managed while also serving as mayor — before he left to buy a competing business, the Mountain View Inn.

The former mayor of Latrobe has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges that he stole about $52,000 from hotel restaurant where he worked and will serve two years’ probation after paying back the money.

Forty-two-year-old Thomas Marflak was charged by Westmoreland County detectives in September 2010, a few months after finishing a four-year term as the first Republican mayor in Latrobe since 1965.

Marflak has claimed the money he spent using hotel credit cards was for legitimate expenses, not his own use, but pleaded guilty Friday to avoid trial and possible prison time on felony charges.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Ex-mayor-pleads-guilty-to-theft-from-W-Pa-hotel-3765751.php#ixzz22s3DAuN6

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by | August 5, 2012 · 6:52 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Risks: Kentucky Restaurant Employee Arrested For "Falsely Reporting A Crime" And Stealing Over $500

“…police discovered Dyer took the money and made up the story to cover up the theft…Police arrested Dyer and charged her with falsely reporting an incident and theft by unlawful taking over $500 – a felony charge…”

A local restaurant employee who told police she was robbed at gunpoint Thursday night at work has been arrested for theft and falsely reporting a crime. According to a statement released Friday by Frankfort Police, 28-year-old Amanda Dyer, of Frankfort, reported around 11 p.m. Thursday that she was robbed at gunpoint by a black male while working at the Sonic restaurant on Louisville Road.

Dyer told investigators the man pointed a gun at her when she went outside to take an order, said Maj. Fred Deaton. She told police he threatened to kill her and other customers if she didn’t give him money, Deaton said.

Deaton said police interviewed other employees and customers and found “none of them said anything that helped corroborate her story.”

Dyer was lodged in Franklin County Regional Jail but has since been released.

For more:  http://www.state-journal.com/local%20news/2012/08/03/sonic-employee-accuses-black-man-of-theft

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