All right, Ashley. So, you've got a
warrant out of Gwinnett, so you're going
to be going to jail on, okay?
>> Two county?
>> Yes, ma'am. Go ahead and turn around for
me.
This officer's going to put you in
handcuffs.
Go to my car, please.
>> I see. I literally told them to call you
guys when I was in jail last week.
And they said nothing was confirmed.
>> So,
what's going What's going on?
>> Uh went through a little female issues
at home, and uh I
took cash from this store.
>> Okay. How long have you been doing this
for?
>> Beginning of the year.
>> What's the beginning of the
>> I'm probably going to say February.
I can't remember exactly when.
>> Hello, ma'am. Hello. Um
uh you wanted to report somebody at
McDonald's, you said.
>> Our general manager, you guys probably
know him. You've probably
seen him.
He was my
>> Okay. You did a one-time thing, or
>> I've been doing it every day since
November.
>> Of last year?
Okay.
>> So, you hired two ghost employees. They
don't exist. [music]
>> Six scams, six different setups. A
payroll scheme, a dollar store theft, a
Walmart employee case, a bad dealership
check, a Macy's refund fraud, and a bank
attempt that was already flagged before
police arrived. Each person had an
explanation, but once officers checked
the records, cameras, accounts, and
paperwork, the way out started closing
fast. The first case does not begin with
a fake check, a stolen card, or someone
try to talk their way through a register
dispute. It begins with a payroll
complaint at McDonald's, where the
person reporting it said the problem had
been going on for months.
>> You can take a seat.
What do you need? I'm Officer Franco.
>> Hi.
My name is John.
>> Hello, John.
Hello. Um
uh you wanted to report somebody at
McDonald's, you said.
>> Our general manager, you guys probably
know him. You've probably
seen him.
He was my
>> Okay. You did a one-time thing, or
>> I've been doing it every day since
November.
>> Of last year?
Okay.
>> So, you hired two ghost employees. They
don't exist. They're not there.
But they're getting a paycheck.
And that's going to him.
>> Oh, wow.
>> So, he's getting three paychecks.
>> And how did you uh discover this?
>> I don't know that I want to talk about
that in the interview. The district
attorney told me to do that.
>> Yeah.
>> I have the one employee.
>> One of the employees saw it.
>> saw it and looked into it.
And every time you do like a change on a
time clock, it has to be approved by the
general manager.
>> Okay.
>> And he's going and manually adding that.
So, there's two There's two employees
that he hired. One is Alexander.
I don't know if they're real people, but
we have their address or social. We have
all that.
>> I was going to say, do you have the
address for these people? That way I can
actually look up and see if there's
any data on these people.
>> Um can I get you that later or do you
need it right now?
>> Um I'm good.
>> It's easier to get it at the store.
>> Yeah, no, absolutely. What's the second
person?
>> The other one is Luis.
So, this one is a soft cuz there's
actually Luis Forrester. When he hired a
second Luis,
he used
the last name.
>> What's Luis's last name?
>> And I can get you his address, but he's
actually in the store right now.
>> Got you. How long has he been there for?
>> 13 years.
>> 13 years. Do you have an
>> longer than that. I've been there for
13. Excuse me, I was hired after that.
>> Okay.
Do you have an an amount?
>> It's just shy of $28,000.
Uh so, for Alexander,
it's $15,293.85.
For Luis,
it is $12,618.65.
[music]
>> The first report already gave officers
more than a vague suspicion. There were
two names, a timeline going back to
November, and a dollar amount just under
$28,000. The person reporting it was
also describing a system where payroll
changes had to be approved, edited, and
closed out by someone with [music]
manager level access. That made the
method important. If an employee forgot
to punch out, the manager could fix the
time clock. If a shift had to be [music]
corrected, the manager could edit it.
But according to the report, that same
power was being used to turn names on a
screen into paychecks.
>> So what he would do is somebody from the
payroll department
he would go in like in the middle of the
night or
before anyone else is there and he would
add in that I think he had 40 hours
each.
>> So he was adding like
>> another 40 hours or more.
>> So there's an actual and actual schedule
of when these people work, like hours?
>> Well, that's what they were stopping
there in the schedule.
>> Okay.
>> They weren't matching
the schedule versus the payroll.
>> Okay.
>> We figured it out. First we only knew
about
Alan.
>> Okay.
>> Then we we checked all the payroll
versus the schedules.
>> Schedules.
>> And it was off because Reese was another
one, but there's two Reeses.
>> [music]
>> Yeah.
>> So he would he added the
so that when they're not when they're
doing it on the time clock cuz everyone
can see the time clock.
>> Yeah.
>> It doesn't show you the full last name
or say Reese.
>> So they thought it was the other Reese.
>> And then you know,
>> Okay.
>> But the one that's in the system was an
overnight employee. He's like, "Why are
you guys always complaining that labor's
high and you guys got this guy punched
in and he's not even working here?"
He told one of the managers and the
manager told another manager and then
that manager called me and
>> Yeah.
>> He said, "Who is Alan?"
And I'm like,
"I don't know who that is."
>> Okay.
>> But they've been getting paid since
November.
>> Yeah.
>> So he has access to pay cards. He can
fill out a new employee
and he can assign them a pay card.
>> Okay.
>> But he has the pay card, I'm guessing.
>> Yeah. That was going to be that was
going to be my next question.
>> That was where the complaint moved away
from a simple payroll mismatch. The
store did not only have two names being
paid, one of the names was close enough
to a real employee that it could be
overlooked on the time clock. Another
was noticed because an overnight
employee saw someone punched in who was
not actually [music] working. The pay
cards also mattered. If the ghost
employees were being paid through cards
assigned [music] inside the system, then
employees would not only need the
store's records. They would need banking
information, payroll information, and
the card numbers tied to those names.
The reporter said the store had already
started building that trail.
>> And he doesn't know any any of this.
When did you guys find this out?
>> Uh Sunday I knew something was up cuz uh
I noticed the two names on here for the
first time and I was like, "Who's
supposed to be here?"
>> Yeah.
>> [music]
>> Yeah.
>> So I started looking into it.
I didn't think that this was happening
and then I got a call 2 days ago.
>> Okay.
>> One of the managers we started looking
into it and then I started checking
punches cuz I can pull a report and
it'll show me every time something was
edited.
And every time it was edited it was
edited that name.
>> Okay.
>> And then it'll have a time stamp on it.
So I have all those reports that I can
show you.
And then I cross-referenced that with
the time system.
So that he can't say all our other
managers stole my password.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> That's not the case because he
was doing that on the computer in the
office.
>> Okay.
Got you.
>> But he can also do it from his house cuz
it's like uh cloud-based.
>> So he said he has access to it at his
house?
>> Any computer.
>> Any computer? Okay.
>> Because he's the highest level GM and
he's [music] the highest level manager
he can edit anything.
>> Okay. So are you able to get the payroll
for these two employees from when it
started till now? Um
just so that you can email me that
information along with And it'll tell
you if these employees were assigned a
pay card you said, right?
>> Yeah, I have I have their pay card
number in there.
>> Okay. So those as well so we have those
on file.
Um
I'll give you my card and you can email
me that. So I want to like all the
evidence that you have for
>> everything to show you.
I got camera footage. I took pictures of
a couple of them.
>> By then, the report became more
specific. The edits allegedly had
timestamps. The timestamps were
connected to the general manager's
account. The camera system was checked
against the payroll reports and the
person reporting it said the video
showed him using the office computer.
That did not make the arrest immediate.
The officer still had to turn the
complaint into a case detectives could
work. Payroll records had to be
collected. Pay card records had to be
followed. If money was moving through
cards or accounts, the police would need
more than what one person said in a
police department. So when the person
reporting it asked what would happen
next, the officer explained that this
was not going to be finished in one
conversation.
>> I have
>> I have a few minutes right now. I can
email it to
>> Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Um
>> Would you guys arrest him?
And does he work jail for this or what
is it?
What happens?
>> So the process is so we do the primary
report and then we kick it over to the
detectives. They have to do subpoenas.
They're going to pull his bank records.
They have to subpoena
bank cards. So the process will take a
few months
before you even see him getting
arrested. They're going to have to bring
him in.
>> When the arrest finally came, it didn't
look like a workplace argument or a
parking lot struggle. Ishmael came in,
the officer checked him for weapons and
the process stayed controlled. His
attorney had already spoken to police
[music] and the officer made it clear
that he was not going to question him
about the case. The scam had been
reported through payroll records. The
arrest moved through booking.
>> All right, sir. You ready?
>> Yeah.
>> All right.
Uh we're going to just step in here real
quick. I got to make sure you don't have
any weapons on you.
Uh go ahead and do me a favor and step
against the wall there.
And just so you know, I am audio
recording you. All right, turn around.
Place your hands on your head. Spread
your feet out, okay?
>> I'm just going to make sure you spread
your feet out.
>> Oh, I'm fine.
>> I'm just going to make sure you don't
have any weapons on you.
And then uh I spoke to your attorney.
>> Okay.
>> Um what we're going to do is we're going
to just
process you, give you your court date
and let you go.
>> Okay.
>> Um
he asked that uh I don't uh question
you.
>> Okay.
>> So I am not going to ask you questions
about anything.
>> Okay.
>> You can turn around and advise what is
>> I'm good.
>> So, I'm going to take your property.
You'll get it back in a moment.
>> Okay. Sure.
>> Okay.
All right.
Appreciate you coming in here.
>> The arrest itself was quiet, but the
charge was not small. There was no long
argument in the room, no shouting over
the accusation, and no attempt on camera
to explain the ghost employees away.
Instead, officers moved through the
ordinary parts of processing, photos,
fingerprints, paperwork, and the court
date. Then, the officer told him what
the case had become.
>> All right, Ishmael.
Um you're being charged with one count
of felony theft, okay?
>> Okay.
>> Do you have any questions?
>> No.
>> Just work with me to
to get it squared away, okay?
>> Yeah, yeah. I'll work with you.
>> All right. And
you don't have to do this again.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
Yeah? Yeah, it's a good deal, okay?
>> Yeah.
>> Um
Yeah, if you got no questions, we'll get
you out of here.
>> Yeah, I understand.
>> All right, Ishmael.
Camera.
All right,
you are out the door, sir. Um
if you have any questions on what to do,
what to wear, anything
>> I'm good.
>> Okay.
>> I'm good.
>> Okay. I'm good.
>> I won't be late.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> In the end, Ishmael was charged with one
count of felony theft. The case that
started with two strange names on
McDonald's payroll ended with a felony
charge, fingerprints, and a court date.
What made it different from a normal
workplace complaint was the access. The
allegation was not that money
disappeared from a drawer in one moment.
It was that payroll was allegedly edited
again and again under names that were
not supposed to be collecting wages
until the total reached nearly $28,000.
[music]
In this next case, the amount starts
much smaller, but the problem is not
only the scam itself. It's how quickly a
store dispute turns into a felony once
officers start sorting out what really
happened. Officers were not first
dealing with Ashley at the register.
They were speaking with Dollar General
staff who said this was not the first
time she had come in and taken
something. Ashley was apparently willing
to come back and pay, but the store had
to decide whether that was enough.
>> Hi.
>> Hey.
>> Is this the first time she's come in
here and done that?
>> I got you. So, um our officer's out with
her over at Casey's.
>> My name's Ashley or whatever.
>> Mhm.
Um I guess she's willing to come back
and pay. It's a throughout you might as
well go or do you want to go charges?
>> she comes in here.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, we've been watching her for a
while and
it
>> Yes, ma'am.
Okay, yeah. Can you send a picture to me
and we'll deal with it in a second.
Awesome. Thank you.
Okay.
Okay, so you guys are wanting to shoot
charges.
>> Uh we just want her no trespass limits.
Let me call Krista and see what for sure
what she wants to do.
Cuz this is every time she comes in
here.
>> Sorry, can't hear you repeat.
>> What do you want to do with her?
She wants She wants to come in here and
pay for what she did.
>> 805 807
>> Prosecute.
>> Got it.
>> Mhm. Okay.
>> She just had a confirmed 29 out of 30
minutes.
>> And no trespass.
Okay.
All right.
All right. Okay.
>> I'll grab a statement for you and I'll
let him know and we'll go from there.
>> That changed the call early. The
question was no longer only whether
Ashley could pay for the item after she
was stopped. The store was saying this
had happened before. And this time they
wanted both prosecution and a trespass
notice. The item itself was not large.
Staff talked about energy drinks, Red
Bull, [music] Monster, and a receipt.
But the way they explained it made the
issue less about one drink and more
about a repeated store problem that
they'd been trying to document.
>> You can see where she puts it in here
first, right get it
She's very sneaky about it.
>> Um
and then can I get a receipt like a
cancelled receipt or um
>> Those things?
>> Yeah, at least those two things. Um
I'm assuming you guys have different
sized Monsters, so we can't really say
which one she probably took or had, but
You too. Thank you. I'm sorry.
>> Just any Monster?
>> Uh is that the smallest size you guys
have?
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Yeah, we'll do that one then. Um
>> No, you're good.
You need a receipt?
>> Have a good day.
>> Um and he is going to trespasser. I'm
sorry guys, you're getting me here. It's
called Okay.
I should take care of everything. Um
so
>> All right. Thank you.
>> Yep. You guys have a good day.
I'm okay. You can show me your name.
>> The store had given officers the part
they needed for the theft complaint.
They pointed to the camera footage,
described where the item went, and
started preparing the receipt. That made
Ashley's [music] offer to pay less
important than it might have seemed at
first. By the time officers spoke with
her, she didn't fully deny the unpaid
item. She admitted one drink had not
been paid for and said it had not even
been opened. From her side, that made
the solution sound simple. She could go
back, pay for it, and move on. The
officer did not promise that.
>> Hey.
>> Hey.
>> I'm Officer Monahan with the Somerville
Police Department. I got a report that
you guys left the Dollar Store without
paying for some items.
Did you pay for that?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. What we're going to do is we're
going to hang out here
and my partner is going to the Dollar
Store to check, okay?
>> I didn't pay for an energy drink.
>> Okay.
>> I'll be honest with you. Right here. And
not even drink [music] out of it yet.
>> Okay.
Now, here's the deal. Do you want to go
back and pay for it?
>> Yeah, I can.
>> And we'll see if that's what they want
to do. If they want to press charges,
they want to press charges, you know?
So.
>> Then I'm going to jail.
>> Yep.
So, it's up to the Dollar Store at this
point.
>> You can have this.
>> I don't want it.
Do you have money to pay for it?
>> I can get money to pay for it.
>> Okay.
Ma'am?
Are you okay?
>> Yeah.
>> Why are you slumped over like that?
>> I'm sorry.
>> I'm sorry.
>> You need EMS?
>> No.
>> You don't? You okay?
>> Yeah.
I didn't know but I couldn't get to
sleep last night.
>> Can you tell them that I'll come pay for
these two drinks?
>> Three cats and stuff like that. Um
>> Can I call somebody so she can cash at
me?
>> Yeah. Get some
Why don't you guys come over here?
>> Cuz she had pee.
>> no pee.
>> We were going to the food bank,
honestly.
>> All right, uh she's willing to go back
and pay for it if you would see see if
they want to press charges or have her
come back and pay for it and test back
up.
It's going to be the Ashley telling.
Yeah, that yeah.
>> That was the point where Ashley still
had one possible way out in her mind.
The drink was still there. She said she
could get the money. She wanted officers
to tell the store she would pay. But the
officer had already explained the part
she could not control. Once Dollar
General decided to prosecute, the
situation would not be fixed by handing
back the drink or paying for it after
the fact. Then, the stop moved in
another direction. Officers checked her
information and Ashley's own comments
showed she was already worried about
something beyond the store complaint.
She had recently been in jail. She had
court dates. And she hoped she did not
have another warrant. When officers came
back to her, the store had made its
decision.
>> All right, Ashley, step out for me.
You can have the front of my car.
>> Do you want to call the police?
>> Nope.
They're pressing charges on you.
>> What's this entail?
>> Well, we're going to see. So, you have a
you have a warrant on the warrant
department.
>> How? I just got out of jail.
>> It hasn't been entered yet.
>> For when?
>> I don't know. That's what he's going to
find out right now.
>> I'd appreciate it cuz I honestly
would like to know.
>> Yeah, he's going to go figure it out.
>> I don't need I'm trying to get it all
taken care of. I went to jail, they told
me everything was taken care of but Tony
Town.
>> Well, you can try to get it taken care
of when you steal from the Dollar Store.
>> You're stupid.
>> So is it
the thing from the dollar store jail
or Gentry?
>> You're You're going to book today. I
don't know if I'm taking you to jail or
taking you to the PD. So I think you're
pretty lucky.
You're really saying
>> I I specifically asked them to please
call Gentry cuz I couldn't remember.
>> Yeah. So the the warrant hasn't been
entered yet.
So that's why he's going he's going to
go see.
>> I mean they're not going to do nothing.
Probably. I'll probably end up going to
Benton County.
At least I wasn't driving this time.
>> Yeah.
>> I'm trying to get it all taken care of
with the judge in Gentry or
Siloam Springs.
So if that I hope he just can
fingerprint me so I can get it all on
the same day.
I need my phone when I go to jail. She
has it.
I literally have my booking papers and
everything in the car.
Sorry, your car's hot right there.
Can I talk to you?
>> Yeah.
All right, Ashley. So you got a warrant
out of Gentry. You're going to be going
to jail on, okay?
>> Two counties?
>> Yes, ma'am. Go ahead and turn around for
me.
This officer is going to put you in
handcuffs.
Go to my car with her.
>> And see, I literally told him to call
you guys when I was in jail last week.
And they said nothing was confirmed.
Can you get my phone from her?
>> Yeah, we'll get we'll get her in a
second.
>> That was where the small theft stopped
being the only issue. Ashley was still
trying to explain that she had been
dealing with court and jail paperwork,
but the new problem was already in front
of her. Dollar General wanted charges,
and officers had found a warrant out of
Gentry. The officer's point was direct.
She said she was trying to get
everything taken care of, but she had
been stopped again after a Dollar
General theft complaint. Whether the
item was cheap or not, the timing made
the situation worse. In the end, Ashley
was not only dealing with the store
Dollar General wanted to press charges
and have her trespassed, and the warrant
meant she was going to jail instead of
simply paying the drink and leaving.
What started as an unpaid energy drink
became a new store complaint, trespass
issue, and another trip into custody. In
the next case, officers again deal with
a store scam, but this time the suspect
is not a customer accused of taking
something from a shelf. It's an employee
accused of using the store from the
inside for months before the case
finally catches Elizabeth worked at
Walmart, and by the time officers
arrived, loss prevention had already
organized the case by dates. The first
question was not whether something had
happened at the door that day. It was
whether Walmart had enough from the
earlier incidents to move forward now.
>> Hello.
>> Hello.
>> So, there's your report numbers on
there.
>> You have previous ones?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> So, it's all done. Here you go.
It starts at 57.
They are separate.
Yeah, 38.
So, she's still working on it.
>> Information.
>> Or is it one of the other working on it?
>> She wrote
She wrote reports.
I'm confused.
>> So, they want us to make the reports for
each individual day prior to us having
her arrested.
>> So, there's your reports.
>> So, there's just reports, just
documenting it happening.
Nothing done about it yet.
>> Right. Today is going to be the day.
>> And today is
So, what happened today? Nothing.
Nothing?
>> No, nothing today.
>> So, this is just a
>> They had the conversation like her and
getting her to write her statements and
her admitting to it.
>> Okay. Give me a second. I got to call
Arroyo about this cuz
I mean, without there being a theft
today, I have no idea what I'm taking
her in for besides all these complaints,
but I need to make sure that
>> Hey.
>> What happened?
>> Uh old [ __ ]
>> This is how they want us to do it now.
>> of old reports that
that they've already documented on her
stealing, but now we're just taking her
in for all these old incidents.
So, I'm calling Arroyo real quick cuz
>> That made this different from the Dollar
General call. In that case, officers
were still checking what had just
happened. Here, Walmart had already
separated the incidents, created
reports, and spoken with Elizabeth
before police took her in. The store was
not building the case in front of
officers from one fresh theft. It was
handing them a file. Once officers
turned to Elizabeth, the scene stayed
quiet. She was told she was being
brought to the station for retail theft,
searched before transport, and allowed
to gather what she needed from her
[music] locker. The concern that showed
up first was not an argument over the
accusation. It was being seen.
>> Hi, Elizabeth.
Hi. I'm Officer Bowman of Evergreen
Park.
So, today you're going to be brought in
the station for retail theft, okay? They
want to pursue a complaint, okay?
So, real quick, this female's just going
to pat you down and make sure there's
nothing on you before we go in our squad
car, okay?
>> Can I go to the wall real quick?
She have anything
>> Do you need to put your stuff in a
blanket? [music]
>> have anything with you like a purse or
anything?
>> No.
>> No?
>> Oh, actually my locker.
>> You do have a locker?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
You want to tell me which one it is?
Okay.
You have somewhere to put
your items in?
You have a purse or something to put
your items in?
>> No.
>> You want to tell me which one it
All right.
>> Yes, you want to run and grab it. Yeah.
>> So, you want all your pencils and stuff
like that. So, we'll just retrieve it um
cuz we're going to sign the complaints,
okay?
>> Okay.
>> All right, go ahead and turn around and
face the camera back for me, okay?
>> Are you going to let me take you to the
bathroom or something?
>> Okay.
>> All right, I think you can come in the
back.
I don't want anyone to see me.
>> Well, they have to take you from the top
floor or whatever it is. They are They
can't take you from the top floor.
>> That small question showed the part of
the arrest that mattered most to her in
the moment. Elizabeth was not pulling
away from officers or trying to run from
the store. She was standing in the
workplace [music] where she had been
employed, asking if there was a way to
avoid being walked out in front of
people. But the complaint still had to
move forward. Walmart wanted to pursue
it, and officers still had to bring her
in, process the reports, and speak with
her about what loss prevention said it
had already documented. At the station,
the tone changed again. The detective
was not loud or aggressive. He framed
the case as a mistake, asked about her
age and school, and explained that
[music] she would likely be cited and
released. That calmer tone did not mean
the file was empty.
>> Hi, how are you? What's your name?
Elizabeth?
>> Hi, Elizabeth. I'm going to take you to
the bathroom, okay? I'm going to search
your bag, okay?
>> If you want to hang hang tight real
quick, it won't be long. Just right
here, miss. Have a seat. Yeah.
You doing okay?
>> Yeah.
>> All right. I'm recording, okay? Just so
you know.
You do know it's not the end of the
world, right?
We all make mistakes.
We all make mistakes. How old are you
again?
>> 22.
>> 22? Okay. All right.
You do recognize that mistakes can be
solved, right? Mistakes can be
is basically
one time or another. We're all human
beings. So, I mean, nobody got hurt,
right?
It's just kind of embarrassing. I know.
I I know. It's just embarrassing. That's
all it is. So, anyway,
pretty messy. All right. So, anyway, um
I guess uh you're you're Walmart, right?
You used to work
You were a Walmart employee. All right.
I'm going to read you your rights.
Uh once we do that, we'll go from there.
Um
You say you speak fluent English, right?
Okay. All right. I just want to make
sure that's all.
We got more copies of these.
No kids? Okay. Are you in college?
School?
You're in school? What school you go to?
>> Keiser University.
>> Keiser University?
>> No.
>> What is it?
>> It's a
>> Beauty college?
>> Cosmetology.
>> Cosmetology, okay. All right. Is that
what you're going for?
Good. So, I'm guessing Walmart is just a
little part-time. Okay. Good. All right.
Um
Before I ask you any questions, I got to
read you your rights.
And then we'll we'll take it from there,
okay? Um so, I guess
Uh
loss prevention from Walmart, I'll just
explain a little bit of what's going on,
okay? I'm pretty sure you already know
the
the whole story behind why you're here,
right? Okay. All right.
Well, they told me they notified me
about it, so I got to work with it.
Um just so you know, um by the end of
tonight, not even tonight, give me a
couple hours, once we get done talking
here, I got to do a little bit of
paperwork, and you'll be released, okay?
It's it's a sign and release, so you'll
get a court date, you got to go to
court. It's not the end of the world.
You don't have a history, you don't have
a record. This is your first time. So,
let's
I didn't say that. I didn't say that.
Unfortunately, it it it's up to the
court system.
>> The detective kept trying to lower the
temperature of the room. He told her
people make mistakes, asked about
school, and explained that she would not
be held for long. That made the next
part stand [music] out more, because
once he moved from reassurance to
evidence, the case became much more
specific. Walmart had given police six
incidents. There was video, there were
images, and the detective had already
reviewed enough of it to start walking
her through the first date.
>> Okay, Mrs. Perez, so
we're talking about six incidents that
we know of, or that they told me about,
okay? So, they gave me the video of it.
I reviewed it. That's the reason [music]
I told you when I first met you, I was
going to let me read up on this and read
you some stuff. So, I saw the video and
it's pretty cut and dry. It's pretty
clear.
Um I know times are rough right now.
They are. Especially you being 22 years
old, college student. I have kids in
college and they're always broke. I know
how it is. It's hard. It's hard.
Uh and I do I completely understand.
However, we
You can say that you made a mistake. So,
it's not Nobody got hurt. It's just It's
material stuff, all right? It's
property. Property.
Anyway,
um
so, the loss prevention uh agents, they
they told me about this and I guess they
they got this whole stack of uh
evidence, which is not a big deal. We're
looking at
$10, $15, $60, $70 here and there.
I I've seen
retail thefts or thefts that go
thousands, okay? So, this right here is
petty.
Um anyway, with that being said,
on
or what is it?
April 27th, uh it's This is
This is you on video. You're putting uh
What was that?
Uh a shirt? Let me see. Hold on.
It's like a uh pair of jeans and a polo
and and something else
that I can see.
And obviously,
>> [music]
>> you didn't pay for it. Uh was that going
to be for you?
>> A pair of jeans and a polo shirt?
>> Yeah.
>> I don't know
if I was taking some jeans and not a
polo shirt.
>> Well, it says right here. I don't know
if it's the right description, but it's
It was a shirt.
>> Okay.
>> Like a shirt, okay?
So, they got a whole bunch of stuff
here.
So, you You recall that date?
>> Mhm. Yeah? Okay. Who's this person?
That's you?
Uh what's say obviously like I said I I
I know times are rough and you being a
college student or or or uh
vocational student
um sometimes just especially with uh
Walmart's
um pay it gets uh
But anyway, was that going to be for you
or you
It was going to be for you?
Okay.
>> That was the point where the interview
stopped being general. The detective was
no longer only telling Elizabeth that
everyone makes mistakes. He was showing
her a date, a video image, and specific
items. She identified herself and said
the jeans were for her. The rest of the
interview continued through more dates
and more items. The detective brought up
shirts, LED lights, pants, shorts,
safety goggles, a hoodie, and board
games. Each one added to the same
pattern. In the next case, the setting
changes completely. The suspect is not
an employee accused of taking items from
the store where she worked. He's trying
to leave with something much more
expensive and the entire case turns on
whether one check is real. This begins
at a dealership where a vehicle purchase
had already moved far enough for
paperwork and financing to matter, but a
deal stopped at the down payment. The
dealership said the payment was $9,500
[music] and by the time deputies
arrived, the problem was not just one
check. It was two checks that had
already come back bad and a third one
the dealership said it could not verify.
>> Regarding everything
>> Okay, so
who again so did it from [music] my
Frankly speaking from our conversation
did you see everything
everything went through but now it's
[music] just waiting on is this like a
down payment for the complete payment of
the car?
>> Yeah, so the initial down payment which
is $9,500 they've given us already two
bad checks.
>> Okay.
>> I've given I've
>> Okay.
>> Um
they've they've already wrote me two bad
checks and now they brought me a third
check which we can't verify as well. So
all these checks
I called their lender today to see if
they can verify that check. She says
they have no indication of that check
that it's it's it's basically
fraudulent. Okay, so we also ran her
record before so I had noticed that she
had a prior or this type of stuff. So so
this is over the the down payment of
that sale. So the actual contract itself
I mean everything is it's a fundable
contract and we have a real approval
with the bank. But it's it's a it's a
consistent down payment. The whole
initial down payment in order for the
deal to be complete. $9,500.
Which we've already tried them to get
multiple. I said can you just bring me
cash and they can't do that. It's got to
be a cashier's check or a certified
cashier's check is cash. Just go to your
bank and pull the money out. He says oh
they won't let me do that I have to wait
24 hours. This is all within today.
Today.
Yeah within within today. Okay.
All right, we're going to we're going to
speak to you guys individually. So if
one of you guys want to come with me
we'll speak to you guys individually.
That gave deputies the dealership's
version. The full contract was not what
they were focused on first. They were
focused on the payment that was supposed
to complete the deal. The checks that
were supposed to cover it. Gerdy's
version started differently. [music] She
said the purchase had been in progress
for weeks. The approval had already come
through and the down payment changed
after the deal was already moving
forward.
>> why we're here is
because
there's a a deal with going on with the
car from my knowledge, okay? And then
with said knowledge of the vehicle there
was
you know, for a down payment of $9,500.
Um
I guess two checks were brought in and
they weren't good and then another check
was brought in and then contact which
again didn't wasn't good either. They
contacted the lender and the lender has
no record of that check ever being
cashed or being created any knowledge of
it whatsoever. So that's all we we have
we have an issue here when it comes to
the check. So, what's what's going on
with the checks?
>> Okay. So, we've been trying to buy this
car for probably about a month and a
half, right? Three weeks after they got
They were trying to get approved. Three
weeks after they called me like, "Hey,
you know, we're good to go. You guys can
come and, you know, you'll have you'll
have to deal with whatever you guys can
move forward with the
like picking up the car.
>> Okay.
>> Sure, no problem. You know, originally
it was a $7,000 down payment. We come
here. Uh then they're like, "Oh, the
down payment has to be 9,500 or
something like that because we're going
to wave something out of yada yada."
That was about 2 weeks ago. It's
something like that. I asked them, "How
can I make the payment, you know, for
the down payment?" I said, "I can bring
you uh business check, like what what
can I make it?" And then I even asked I
said, uh this was on a Friday or
Saturday or something like that so the
bank was closed.
So, um
I'm going to check.
>> Her explanation gave officers a
different frame. She was not saying the
car deal was fake. She was saying that
the deal was real. The account was
connected to her child's father, and the
payment problem came from timing,
pending fluids, and the way the
dealership handled the checks. But, the
questions kept coming back to one point.
When the check was handed over, were the
funds actually available?
>> Being truthful
>> [music]
>> is going to go a long way cuz they're
going to pull everything.
>> Yeah.
>> There you have it.
Everything we have right now is showing
fraud on our end.
>> Okay.
>> Right? So, we [music] have choices of
what to do, right?
DCFS can get involved. All these other
problems because you have a child that's
here.
>> Okay.
>> My suggestion would be
to be truthful and honest.
Exactly what you were doing.
And we can determine
what leniency we have if we're going to
charge you. Does that make sense?
>> I understand.
>> Okay. Right now, you're in a bad spot.
Your boyfriend or fiance or I don't know
I don't know if you guys are like it.
>> the child's father. Child's father.
Both in a bad spot. And you got a child.
>> I have four children.
>> Okay. One is younger than a little older
than him and one lot probably was your
age. Okay.
Let's start over.
What was the deal?
>> Honestly, this
>> What was the deal?
>> Provided them a check for for them to
>> Did you know that the funds weren't
available in the check?
>> No. Originally, the account is not under
my it's not under my name. So, it's his
account. We have funds. We have
>> Okay. So, his name is
>> Yes, it's his account.
>> So, the account was under his name.
>> Correct. And there's
>> And you knew that the funds weren't
available in the account.
>> had when we originally turned in the
check to them on Saturday, we knew the
funds weren't available. They told me
they were going to hold the check for a
couple days. I asked them, "Can I pay
you with a business check?" And they
told me, "Hey, the funds are going to
you know, the check's going to be
deposited on Monday."
>> Okay.
>> Or something like that.
>> That was the part deputies kept
returning to. Gurdi said the dealership
knew the funds were not available yet
and had agreed to hold the check. The
dealership said multiple checks had
already failed or could not be verified.
And once the officer told her everything
they had was showing fraudulent
activity, the longer explanation did not
change the immediate problem. The arrest
came after that.
>> All right. Just stand by.
Okay.
>> Is that all your stuff, ma'am?
>> This is just my wallet.
>> What's your name?
>> Gurdi Knight.
>> This is Gurdi. My name is Eric, okay?
Can you get all your stuff?
>> All right.
>> Take off your Take off your bracelet.
Before I do anything else with you.
Anything in your pockets?
>> Gurdi?
>> Yes.
>> What do you got?
>> My my my keys.
>> Just your keys?
>> Yes.
>> All right. Switch Let them dry.
Frank. Hands together.
>> Hands together?
>> Put back your hands.
>> No. Other
>> There you go.
>> Other way. Other way.
>> You want them too?
>> Yes.
>> Is that my phone in your jacket?
>> We're going to talk.
>> 10-4.
>> We're a black female 15 or 16 years of
age.
Silver 19.
>> What's that?
>> There's a 19 year 18.
You want to see You want him to see you?
>> I'm going to see it.
5 6 actually be a signal 18.
>> In the end, Gurty was arrested for
uttering a forged instrument. The
dealership said the down payment checks
were bad or could not be verified. Gurty
said the funds were supposed [music] to
clear and that the dealership understood
the timing. But by the time deputies
made the arrest, the car deal was no
longer the main issue. The check was. In
the next case, money's not tied to a
dealership or a down payment. It moves
through a system again where a manager
is accused of turning refunds into the
center of the scheme. After the
dealership case, the money moves back
inside a store. But this time, officers
are not dealing with a customer trying
to pass a check or walk out with
merchandise. Macy's says the person
behind the refund scheme is one of its
own managers. The first issue was not
whether something had been taken from a
shelf. It was how the register system
was allegedly being used. Loss
prevention said the manager had been
taking merchandise from the selling
floor, processing it as a return without
proof of purchase, [music] and keeping
the cash.
>> Do you want me to step out?
>> Uh well
We We have to talk to
I think you first or somebody about
what's going on.
>> Okay. I I didn't know if you talked to
somebody
>> We we did. We're just needing a little
bit more information on this stuff and
then we can
>> Okay. So this is Dharma Dutt who works
for my Ronald.
>> Okay.
>> Um he is a manager here at the store.
>> Okay.
>> Um and I came in to discuss with him
today some things that were going on in
the store.
>> Okay.
>> And that involved him processing some
fraudulent returns in order to take the
cash. He found himself in a um
in a spiraling financial situation.
>> Okay.
>> Um where he needed cash and so it's
about 20
$2,239.08.
>> Okay.
>> Um and it has happened since this year
starting in January.
>> January, okay.
>> Yeah.
>> That explanation made the role
important. Macy's was not describing a
normal return dispute with a customer.
The person had access to the store, the
merchandise, and the return process.
[music]
According to loss prevention, the same
system meant to send money back to
customers had become the way cash was
leaving the store. When officers spoke
to him directly, the conversation did
not turn into a long denial. The [music]
officer read his rights and then asked
what had been going on.
>> All right, boss. So, I got to read you
your rights.
>> Yeah.
>> Your rights so you know your rights as a
person, okay? Before I ask you some
questions. You have the right to remain
silent.
>> Yes.
>> Anything you say may be used against you
in court. Do you understand?
>> Yes.
>> You have the right to talk to a lawyer
before and during questioning. Do you
understand?
If you cannot afford a lawyer and want
one, one will be provided for you before
questioning without charge. Do you
understand?
Has anyone threatened you or promised
you anything to get you to talk to me?
Okay.
So, what's been what's going on?
>> Uh went through a little few issues at
home and
I
took cash from the store.
>> Okay. How long have you been doing this
for?
>> The beginning.
>> What's the beginning?
>> I probably sometime in February.
>> Okay.
Since January till till now?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. How how how how are you doing
exactly? Were you just taking cash from
the cash register?
>> Yeah, I would just do a return and keep
the cash.
>> Okay. So, you you would do the returns
>> Yeah.
>> The so the the All right.
Okay.
And what
>> I just went through a lot of financial
issues and I lost my place and you know,
it's
It's a downward spiral. Someone moved
out from the house and then
I I
just poor decision.
>> I I I got you. I got you. I mean
>> And
you know, my little daughter it's just
this and that, you know, the options, so
it's worth it.
When was the last time you actually did
3 weeks ago?
How long have you worked here now?
>> How long?
You know, it's 2 years now.
>> 2 years here?
>> Been here for a while.
>> And you're a manager?
>> Yeah.
>> How long have you been a manager? 3
years?
>> Yeah, cuz I came from New York, so it's
a different lifestyle.
>> Okay, I got you. I got you. I got you.
>> I got you.
>> I got you.
>> I got you.
>> I got you, man.
It's just
>> Again, poor decision making skills.
>> That admission changed what officers
still needed to sort out. The method had
already been described by Macy's, and
Ronald described the same basic pattern
himself. He said he took cash from the
store, did returns, kept the money, and
had been doing it since around the
beginning of the year. The arrest stayed
[music] calm, but the accusation was
direct. After that, the remaining
question was how officers would classify
it. Because Macy's said this happened
multiple times and involved the manager
using the store's return system. [music]
Officers discussed both theft and fraud
before taking him into custody.
>> Um
Yeah.
>> Uh
grand
grand theft
>> And what else?
>> And uh
with him being an employee
>> breach of
>> So, what was the dollar amount?
>> You got like fraud, but what what what
charge would it be?
>> I don't
stealing
>> stealing through the fraud
>> breach of trust and fraud
>> Yes.
>> Okay. So, how do you want to write this
up actually?
You want to charge both?
>> Usually only grand theft is what they
charge with.
>> Okay.
>> So, uh just say charge both.
>> Cuz then it's
just
>> 16 stealing and breach of fraud against
the company.
>> Grand theft and breach of trust.
>> It's all right. Multiple times.
>> Okay.
>> So.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> So, 15 and 15 of the cards now, and then
we're going to do the statement.
>> Okay.
>> All right.
>> Uh don't hold on to this right now.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
Mhm.
Hey DeMarcus, can you do me a favor and
just stand up for me?
>> Okay.
>> Give me your car. Give me your car here.
>> Okay.
>> This key that's on the chair, is that
yours or is it company's?
>> Um mine.
>> Okay.
We'll grab it.
All right.
So right now, we are going to place him
under arrest.
>> Have him empty his pockets out. Also
check in the car.
>> Okay.
>> Uh Macy, Macy, they do want to press
charges on him, okay?
>> Is this your phone?
>> I'll come with you also.
>> Okay.
>> Do you have any cash on you or anything
like that?
>> Uh no.
>> We got the key, the phone.
>> You have anything in your pockets, okay?
>> In the end, DeMarcus was arrested after
Macy said the refund system had been
used to take cash from the store. The
amount was smaller than the dealership
case, but the problem was different.
This time, the access came from inside
the business. Macy said the scheme had
been going on since January. DeMarcus
said he had financial problems, lost his
place, [music]
and made poor decisions. But once he
admitted that he was doing returns and
keeping the cash, the case no longer
depended only on what loss prevention
had already found. His own explanation
matched the core of the complaint. In
the final case, officers are not looking
back at months of store activity. They
walk into a bank while the fraud attempt
is still unfolding. The issue was not a
refund record, a payroll name, or a
check that had already failed at a
dealership. This time, the bank had a
woman sitting inside, an ID in hand, and
a check that staff already believed was
not real. Before officers even spoke
with her about the check, they moved her
out of the lobby and into custody for
the moment.
>> So he said the check
and then this is the ID, and she's the
owner.
>> Okay. know.
>> All right, ma'am. Can you stand up for
me please? Come on.
Can you turn around for me please?
>> Um, for what?
>> Just going to detain you and I'll put it
in the movie. All right?
Not too tight?
>> Um, no.
>> Okay.
One second. Let me just I don't want to
get tangled in this second.
I'm just going to move this so it
doesn't bother you. All right?
>> Okay.
>> No, not yet.
All right. Let me put you in the back of
my car and then I'll talk to you in a
second. All right?
>> Okay.
>> That changed the scene immediately. She
had walked into the bank, but the bank
had already been warned. Staff had the
check, the ID, and information from
another location. Officers were not
starting from her explanation. They were
starting from the bank's suspicion. Once
she was in the patrol car, the officer
read her rights and told her what the
problem was. The check was fake. From
there, the conversation moved to who
brought her there, how many places she'd
already been, and whether someone else
was directing the attempt.
>> I'm just going to read you your rights
real quick
before I try to talk to you. Um, you
have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used
against you in a court of law. You have
the right to
uh, presence of an attorney before and
during, uh, answering any questions.
If you cannot afford an attorney, one
will be appointed to you
through the court.
Do you understand those rights?
Okay. Do you wish to talk to me?
>> I've never been I don't know what I'm
supposed to [music] do in this
situation.
>> Okay. Well,
>> I'm sorry.
>> Okay. Well, I mean, as of right now,
that's a fake check.
>> [music]
>> Okay.
>> All right.
Um
>> I'm sorry. Do you think you could just
like pull my hair behind my ear? I don't
mean to like
Yeah, it's like annoying me. I'm sorry.
Thank you.
>> Okay.
>> Thank you.
>> So, do you um
So, it's a fake check.
Obviously, you were brought here, I
guess, to cash the check.
But, the check's made out to your name.
Um
Who Who is the guy that you know again
that dropped you off?
>> Uh I don't remember his name name, but I
know him as Fredo.
>> Fredo?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. And how many other places have you
gone today?
>> Um I just went to one.
And then
initially, I didn't want to keep going
cuz I was afraid of this. But,
um
whatever, he
told me I was going to get left
stranded, so
>> Does he have anyone else working for him
today?
>> Um not going into banks, but there's
like another person driving.
>> So, there's two drivers?
>> No, so he's also walking into banks. We
have a He has a driver. And then they're
just
>> He's also walking into banks as well?
And you don't know his name, just as
Fredo?
>> No, I I Well, I saw one of the checks. I
think it's like Julian Aguange or
something. It's with a J. I just can't I
can't
>> Julian, you said?
>> I believe it's J.
>> Okay. And last name?
>> Aguange.
>> Aguange. Okay.
>> Um
I don't
know like what they got back for.
>> Okay.
All right. We will [music] um
We'll figure this out. All right. He's
going to talk to you in a few minutes,
okay?
You have anything else you want to tell
me?
>> Um
>> You from Hialeah?
Okay.
All right. Give me a few minutes.
>> Am I going to like
go
>> You're getting arrested today, yeah.
There's no way out of that one.
>> I've never been arrested before.
>> I understand.
>> I'm just like
>> It's fine. I got
>> I don't really know how to show emotion
and stuff. I'm just kind of trying to
process everything together.
>> No.
Okay. It's fine.
I'll be right back.
>> That was the point where the story
became larger than one check at one
bank. She said she had already gone to
one other place and did not want to keep
going and was afraid of exactly what was
now happening. She also described a
person she knew as Fredo, another
driver, and a setup where she was not
the only one moving between banks. But
the bank had its own evidence. When
officers spoke with staff, the check
problem became more specific. It was not
only that the check looked suspicious.
Another branch had already sent
information. The face was recognized and
the check [music] number itself had
problems.
>> So, how did you guys realize it was just
um my identification?
>> So, this is the one that alerted us of
course and then I quickly remember the
ID, the face. Once she walked in, I
realized it.
>> So, they sent you they they sent you
>> Which is yes.
>> This is what uh the manager from the
airport sent you.
>> Correct.
>> Okay, and then
once you saw her come in here, you
recognized the name and
>> I recognized her face actually, not
[music] the name. This face I recognized
it.
>> You remember the face from the
uh the email and then obviously once you
got [music] the ID, you kind of like,
"Oh, this is the same person."
>> called the police and then I
reviewed the account
>> Uh-huh.
>> and this check number is already been
used and then this check feel like it
not. It's weird.
Plus, customer don't use this check
>> So,
William
check number has been used.
>> Correct.
And writings are different than his
normal writing.
>> And writing
different and you said the material
doesn't feel like um
>> Yeah, the material feel weird for the
check. You know what
>> Okay.
>> And then this account owner always put
the note here if they if they pay
someone with a check, they always have a
memo line fill up. Like what did he pay
for?
But this one has no
>> memo line filled out usually with for
whatever.
>> Correct.
>> Okay.
>> The bank's explanation narrowed the
case. [music] Staff said the check
number had already been used. The
handwriting did not match the account
holder's normal handwriting. The
material felt wrong and the memo line
did not match the way the account owner
usually wrote checks. By then, her
explanation about Fredo did not change
the immediate problem. She was the
person at the bank with a check made out
to her name and the bank had already
connected her to an earlier warning from
another location.
>> All right. Well,
like the officer said, pretty much
you're going to be
arrested right now just cuz of the check
that's been used. It's fraudulent. So,
I'll be taking you down to the jail.
Um
from there you could [music] contact
whatever.
But pretty much that's pretty much how
the day's going to go now. All right?
You'll be going with your belongings so
you don't have to worry. You'll You'll
receive your phone, your wallet, your
bag and all that.
>> In the end, she was charged with fraud
for impersonating another person in
order to unlawfully possess
identification along with uttering a
false instrument. The case did not end
with a long chase or a loud argument. It
ended because the bank recognized her,
checked the account, and found details
that did not match. The check number had
already been used. The handwriting was
different. The check type felt wrong.
And once officers confirmed these
details, the attempt that started inside
the bank became an arrest before she
could leave the parking lot. Across
these six cases, [music] the scams did
not look the same from the outside. One
was built around payroll access. One
looked small until the store pressed
charges. One had Walmart rewards waiting
before the arrest. One centered on
dealership checks. One moved through
Macy's refund system. And the final one
unfolded inside a bank while the check
was still being handled. But the pattern
was the same. Each person had an
explanation, and some of those
explanations sounded calm, detailed, or
even believable at first. Then officers
checked the records, the video, the
account history, [music] or the store's
evidence, and the situation changed. Let
us know which case surprised you the
most. And if you want to see more body
cam cases like this, make sure to
subscribe.