A former Wendy’s manager managed to pocket a staggering $20,000 in wages through a deceitful scheme involving a fictitious employee. Linda Johnson, the former manager, ingeniously created a ‘ghost’ employee named ‘William Bright’ and proceeded to clock him in and out for shifts. This allowed her to collect the wages intended for this non-existent employee. Astonishingly, Johnson successfully carried out this scheme for almost a year before finally being caught.
The deception began in June 2021 and continued until May of the following year. Throughout the investigation, Wendy’s employees claimed to have no recollection of ever working with an individual by the name of William Bright. Eventually, Johnson confessed to her fraudulent actions, admitting that she devised the fake employee to unlawfully obtain extra wages. It was later revealed that the paychecks were directly deposited into her Cashapp account.
Once criminal charges were filed against her, Johnson promptly disappeared, and her whereabouts became unknown. The police launched an appeal to the public for any information that could aid in finding her. As news of Johnson’s crime spread on social media, people shared their opinions. Surprisingly, some individuals couldn’t help but find her audacity impressive. One person even commented, “I’m not gonna lie, this is smart as hell. You can’t even be mad at her. 128 shifts without anyone noticing this ‘new employee’ is insane LMAO.”
While some praised Johnson’s audacious actions, others speculated whether she had assistance from her colleagues. One commenter suggested, “She wasn’t doing it alone, she must have been sharing the benefits with other staff.” This raises the question of potential involvement from other individuals at the restaurant.
The incident resulted in the restaurant’s insurer paying out a significant $16,000 to cover the losses incurred. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of financial vigilance and the potential consequences of fraudulent acts.
