Former Ark. Dealership Employee Arrested on Embezzlement, Fraud Charges

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — A former employee of Riser Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat in Hot Springs, Ark., was arrested Friday and charged with defrauding the dealership and its manufacturer, The Sentinel-Record reports. Janet Christine Stair, 67, allegedly stole more than $17,000 in a service ticket-fixing scheme and attempted to recover some of the money by defrauding Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of nearly $12,000 in warranty-work compensation.

Stair is charged with pocketing $17,090.72 worth of cash payments from service customers between February and September of last year. After giving each customer their receipt, she used her employee login to change the “cash” ticket to a “warranty” ticket, alter the list of performed services, and change vehicle details to ensure the phantom charges would be covered by the manufacturer, all according to court documents.

“The modified ticket was then submitted to Chrysler/Dodge by Stair in ‘an attempt to gain back some, but not all of the money she took from the company,’” the article states, dinging the factory for a total of $11,838.79.

Dealer Paul Riser is credited with turning Stair in to authorities after uncovering the scheme late last year. Stair was released on a $7,500 bond but faces up to 20 years in prison for theft of property exceeding $25,000 in value and six years for computer fraud.

Click here to read the Sentinel-Record article.