A Florida woman was arrested for mistakenly using $400,000 she believed to be a bonus on her $60,000 salary.
Yessica Arrua, 29, from Wellington, Florida, reportedly retained the money and used over 50% on shopping and sending funds to her relatives, as per reports.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Yessica, whose yearly income totaled $60,000, received excessive pay between February 2022 and January 2023 as per the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.
According to the police report, she supposedly acknowledged receiving more pay than she should have, but claimed she believed the additional money was a reward for her duties as a receptionist.
She mentioned hearing rumors in the past that the former receptionist was commended for cutting costs on supplies.
In early 2023, the error was noticed by the Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC), which then informed Harbor America, the payroll provider for the company.
Yessica got arrested on June 27th.
According to the report, she reportedly failed to inform the clinic about the overpayment and, instead, used the funds at various stores such as Coach, Michael Kors, furniture stores, and restaurants.
Thousands of dollars were transferred via Zelle to an individual with the moniker Mama Dukes, and $80,000 was utilized to purchase a food truck for a friend of her mother.
Yessica mentioned sending money to individuals in Argentina, her home country, to help construct a house.
The investigation revealed that Yessica had been transferring funds to various accounts overseas for a while.
The clinic’s management team was shocked to discover the extent of Yessica’s deceit.
The authorities suspected that Yessica might have been involved in illegal money laundering activities.
The case gained significant media attention due to the substantial amount of money involved.
Yessica’s former colleagues at the clinic expressed disbelief and disappointment upon learning about her actions