ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — A Daytona Beach woman was arrested Wednesday, accused of embezzling more than a million dollars from a local insurance company.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
Investigators with the Ormond Beach Police Department began their investigation into 30-yearrold Samantha Rae Link back in July after representatives from Security First Insurance arrived at the station to report suspicious activity on the company’s account.
READ: Brevard County school district offers new unique career & technical education programs
The company’s President and Chief Financial Officer reported that a large amount of funds had been sent to a questionable unauthorized account number.
Investigators eventually connected the account to Link, who had been an accountant for the company. They also found other bank accounts Link used to transfer funds from the company to herself.
READ: Dangerous heat in Central Florida continues through the weekend
As the company’s accountant, police say Link was fully capable of altering the beneficiary account numbers to send funds to her own personal Wells Fargo Bank account.
In all, police say Link made 34 fraudulent transactions between January of 2022 and July of 2023 totaling $1,474,564.
READ: Unstable scaffolding keeps section of Orange Avenue closed in Downtown Orlando
Link was fired after the company learned of the mishandled funds.
In conjunction with the Seventh Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Ormond Beach Police arrested link on charges of grand theft over $100,000 and carrying out an organized scheme to defraud over $50,000. She’s being held in the Volusia County Jail on a total of $650,000 bond.
“The teamwork and professionalism shown by our investigators and the prosecutors at the State Attorney’s Office are a true testament that offenders will be brought to justice,” Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey said in a statement. “I couldn’t be prouder of their combined efforts!”
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.