Best Buy Worker Charged in $118K Fraud Scheme

Employee allegedly used manager's code to give himself and others deep discounts on electronics.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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A Best Buy employee in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida has been charged with fraud after allegedly using his manager's override code to give himself and others discounts of up to 99% on over $118,000 worth of MacBook Pro models and other high-value electronics over several months.

Why it matters

Employee theft and fraud are ongoing challenges for retailers, with high staff turnover making it difficult to detect such schemes. This case highlights the need for strong inventory controls and oversight to prevent significant financial losses.

The details

According to the police investigation, the employee conducted 97 discounted purchases for himself totaling $81,717, as well as 52 additional transactions for others adding $36,573 in losses. Authorities were able to recover several of the discounted MacBook Pro models that the employee had pawned locally.

  • The fraud scheme lasted for several months, beginning in December 2024.
  • The store manager noticed irregular sales while reviewing inventory in December 2024, prompting the investigation.

The players

Best Buy

A major consumer electronics retail chain.

Lettera

A Best Buy employee in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida who is accused of conducting the fraud scheme.

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What’s next

Police have recovered some of the discounted merchandise, and the employee is facing criminal charges for the fraud scheme.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenge of employee theft and fraud in the retail industry, emphasizing the need for robust inventory controls, oversight, and measures to prevent such schemes from occurring.