A former Chick-fil-A employee in Texas is accused of stealing nearly $80,000 from a restaurant by using fake mac and cheese orders and refunding the money to his own credit card, according to police and court records.
Authorities identified the suspect as Keyshun Jones. He worked at a Chick-fil-A location in Grapevine, a city outside Dallas. Investigators said Jones lost his job at the restaurant last November, but he allegedly returned several times after being fired.
Police said Jones entered the restaurant, used the register system to create fake food orders, and then refunded the money to his personal credit card. Investigators believe he carried out the scam for months before restaurant officials discovered unusual refund activity, reported Fox4.
How did alleged mac & cheese scam work?
According to investigators, Jones focused on one menu item during the alleged fraud scheme of mac and cheese. Authorities said he rang up nearly 800 fake orders of the side dish and then processed refunds linked to those transactions.
Restaurant managers became suspicious after finding hundreds of refunds that did not match real customer purchases. The company later contacted police and launched an internal review.
Security camera footage reportedly showed Jones behind the counter while making the fake transactions. Prosecutors said the video became a key part of the investigation. Court records also showed that an arrest warrant was issued for Jones on April 6, reported Fox4.
Authorities accused Jones of stealing about $80,000 through the fake refunds. Investigators also accused him of trying to hide the money trail, leading to additional money laundering charges.
What charges does the former employee face?
Jones was arrested on April 17. The arrest involved the Texas Attorney General’s Fugitive Task Force and the Fort Worth Police Department.
Authorities charged him with property theft, money laundering, and evading arrest. Under Texas law, the charges could bring a prison sentence of up to 10 years if he is convicted.