Florida bookkeeper embezzles $1.6m from office for lavish spending

Ashley Danton, a bookkeeper from Suwannee County, Florida, has been arrested for embezzling about $1.6 million from a local firm over six years.

The 36-year-old, according to BNN Breaking, is facing significant charges of grand theft and fraudulent credit card usage after her financial deception was discovered following her termination.

Dalton had obtained a credit card under the company's name without approval, embarking on a lavish spending spree that included personal indulgences such as Amazon purchases, progressive insurance payments, carnival cruise tickets, and airline bookings.

A statement by the Suwannee County sheriff's office read: "During the financial audit, it was uncovered that she had illicitly obtained a credit card under the business's name without authorisation.

"Delving deeper into the records, investigators unearthed a trail of unauthorised transactions dating back to 2018. She had exploited the company’s resources for purchases ranging from Amazon and Progressive Insurance to Carnival Cruise tickets and airline bookings."

Investigators discovered the transactions "were meticulously documented through archived business emails." A tally of the expenses came to "a staggering $1,599,018.09," the sheriff's office said.

As per reports, the company, whose name has not been revealed, operates nationwide and allows staff to use "credit cards for business-related expenses during out-of-office assignments."

However, Dalton was not among those authorised for such spending.

Furthermore, the sheriff's office said, "When confronted with the evidence, the suspect attempted to deflect blame, asserting that her actions were condoned by the business owner due to her inadequate compensation."