A Florida woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly stealing credit card information while working at a Popeyes restaurant to fund her boyfriend’s commissary in prison.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, 42-year-old Shaunta Johnson was arrested for orchestrating a scheme that involved using stolen credit card details from customers to make commissary payments for her incarcerated boyfriend. Johnson allegedly enlisted the help of her coworker, Chaniqua Richberg, 49, who participated in the fraudulent transactions while both were on shift at the restaurant’s drive-thru.
Investigators say Johnson came up with the plan while employed at a Popeyes location in Flagler County, using customer card details to load money onto her boyfriend’s account at Apalachee Correctional Institution. The arrest report states the two women processed numerous fraudulent charges before the scheme was uncovered.
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The Tampa Free Press reports that Richberg was previously arrested in April on similar fraud charges and is currently out on bond. She also has a criminal record, including a prior conviction in Pennsylvania for unrelated offenses.
History of Fraud and Prior Offenses
Authorities confirmed that Johnson was no stranger to the law. Her criminal history includes prior arrests for fraud, running an unlicensed childcare facility, and selling cocaine. These past offenses paint a troubling picture of repeat criminal behavior that escalated to a more organized scheme.
Both Johnson and Richberg are now facing several felony counts, including organized scheme to defraud, fraudulent use of a credit card, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office released a statement condemning the actions of the pair:
“While they won’t be joining ‘friends’ who are already locked up in a prison cell, they are on a fast track to sleeping in a prison cell.”