PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — The Pinellas Park Police Department arrested a woman Wednesday morning accusing her of stealing more than $138,000 from her employer to fund a "lavish lifestyle."
Cherie Carter, 45, had been paying herself additional funds during her time as the sole executor of the payroll for Bay Area Orthopaedic Specialist, officers said in a news release.
The investigation into Carter's activities, which began in March of this year, reportedly uncovered that Carter had been paying herself thousands more per pay period since October 2022. She had been employed with Bay Area Orthopaedic Specialist for several years, according to officers.
On top of paying herself more than $138,000, an additional $70,000 of cash deposits were unaccounted for during the same period, the department said.
"These funds were utilized for Cherie Carter's personal gain, living a lavish lifestyle," Pinellas Park PD stated in the release.
Carter has been booked into the Pinellas County Jail on a charge of scheme to defraud, records show.
