ORLANDO, Fla. – A Sprint employee is accused of stealing $8,000 worth of merchandise through fake accounts, according to an Orange County arrest affidavit.
Ariel Gillespie is facing charges of grand theft, theft by employee and scheme to defraud.
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The Orlando Police Department said officers responded to the Sprint Store on Orange Avenue around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday in reference to a fraud investigation.
Police said the district manager told officers he received communication from the business fraud department about Gillespie providing phones to customers who were not listed to specific accounts.
The district manager told police this included Apple iPhone 11 phones, Apple iWatch’s and Samsung devices given away without receiving payment, according to the arrest report.
Investigators said the district manager told police fake accounts were created or opened with stolen identities.
The accounts were registered to elderly women in other cities, the district manager told police.
Authorities said surveillance footage shows Gillespie providing phones linked to the accounts of the women from other cities to young men.
Police said the district manager told officers $8,435.33 worth of merchandise was given away.