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Linda Johnson turned herself over to authorities in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. She was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Miller and released on $2,500 unsecured bail, according to police.
Additional information was unavailable as of Tuesday afternoon.
ORIGINAL:
A Louisiana woman is wanted for stealing approximately $20,000 — using the fake identity of a Wendy's employee in Pennsylvania that she created, authorities announced on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
Linda Nicole Johnson, of Monroe, LA, is wanted by police in Manheim Township for the thefts.
The police believe the 35-year-old created the ghost employee with the name of "William Bright" while she was working as the general manager of the Wendy's located at 1117 Harrisburg Pike.
After she invented "Bright" she used a time card in his name to clock in and out without anyone ever working— she did this 128 times, according to township police.
"A forensic audit was performed, and it showed that a total loss to Utica National Insurance Company as a result of this incident was $15,846.91. The ghost employee’s, William Bright’s, employment spanned 22 bi-weekly pay periods; over that period, the gross pay was $19,898.15," the police stated in the release.
The police questioned Wendy's employees at that location but not a single one recalled a "William Bright."
During a video call between an officer and Johnson, she "did admit to adding William Bright as an employee on paper and creating shifts for him that he did not work. She had the paychecks for William Bright direct deposited into her Cashapp account," the police said.
She explained that she used the money to "help care for her children."
A criminal complaint was filed and an arrest warrant was obtained, but Johnson remains a wanted person.
Anyone with information should call the Manheim Township Police Department at 717-569-6401 or click here to submit a tip.
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