Ex-Florida bookkeeper spent $1.5M in purchases using company credit card, business owner discovers: Deputies
Mugshot: Ashley Dalton | Credit: Suwannee County Jail
A former Florida bookkeeper was arrested after she allegedly stole $1.6 million from a Suwannee business – claiming that the owner condoned her purchases, deputies said.
Suspicion about the unauthorized purchases arose following the termination of the company's bookkeeper, 36-year-old Ashley Nicole Dalton, of Branford.
On February 1, the owner of a nationwide business told deputies he entrusted his employees with credit cards for business-related expenses during out-of-office assignments but noticed something was wrong during an audit.
During the financial audit, it was revealed that Dalton had illicitly obtained a credit card under the business's name without authorization sending the owner down a rabbit hole of unauthorized transactions dating back to 2018.
According to deputies, Dalton indulged in purchases ranging from Amazon and Progressive Insurance to Carnival Cruise Lines tickets and airline bookings.
The transactions totaled $1,599,018.09 and were "meticulously" documented through archived business emails, deputies said.
When confronted by deputies, Dalton reportedly claimed that her actions were condoned by the business owner, which he denied.
Dalton is currently in the Suwannee County Jail and faces charges of grand theft and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Her bond is set at $1 million.