On Aug. 11, representatives of Turbine Generator Maintenance reported to Cape Coral Police that there had been a theft from the business. TGM reps stated that an employee, Amy Bennett, reportedly had used the company credit cards to obtain unauthorized funds via Pay Pal.
Bennett, 38, of 310 N.E. 19th Ave., Cape Coral, was the senior staff accountant at TGM for several years. One of her duties was to obtain the business credit card statements, check them and obtain the employees’ expense reports, according to Cape police.
Police report that Bennett did not have any actual cards in her possession; however, she did have the account number due to getting the statements from American Express.
According to police, Bennett used her knowledge of the American Express credit card numbers to make unauthorized Pay Pal transactions for her own personal benefit. The card holders (employees of Turbine Generator) had no knowledge that Bennett was using their card numbers to make unauthorized purchases.
All of the money taken was eventually transferred into Bennett’s personal bank account, used to make purchases from Pay Pal or other sources, or used to pay personal bills, Cape police reports indicate. The total amount reported stolen via unauthorized Pay Pal charges is $122,900, and the total amount used to pay bills or make on-line purchases is $7,765.
Detective Tracy Hataway conducted the investigation and obtained an arrest warrant for Bennett on charges of grand theft over $100,000, a first degree felony; criminal use of personal identification information over $50,000, a first degree felony; and criminal use of personal identification information over $5,000, a second degree felony.
Bennett turned herself in on March 3.