Disney resort worker steals $180,000 by refunding guests’ payments to herself, feds say
A woman working at a Walt Disney World resort for military members and their families stole more than $180,000 by issuing refunds to herself, federal prosecutors said.
Elizabeth Carpenter, 44, of St. Cloud, about a 26-mile drive southeast from Orlando, is facing up to 10 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a July 9 news release.
Carpenter’s defense attorney didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on July 10.
For nearly two years, Carpenter accessed the accounts of guests who vacationed multiple times at Shades of Green and refunded portions of their room payments to her and her husband’s credit cards, according to court documents.
She worked as an accounting technician at the hotel, which is an Armed Forces Recreation Center resort at Walt Disney World and is owned by the Defense Department, prosecutors said.
Carpenter stole $183,079.60 from the Defense Department by issuing refunds to her credit card accounts at least 652 times between July 2022 and March 2024, according to prosecutors.
She has since pleaded guilty to theft of government property, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
“Over time, (Carpenter) increased the number of refunds that she would credit to herself for a particular guest” at Shades of Green, Carpenter’s plea agreement says.
On Jan. 19, she made nine refunds, totaling $2,016, to her credit card from one guest’s account, according to the plea agreement.
Carpenter has agreed to forfeit the entire amount she’s accused of stealing, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 11, court records show.
This story was originally published July 10, 2024 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Disney resort worker steals $180,000 by refunding guests’ payments to herself, feds say."
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