For nearly a year, a “Wendy’s employee” showed up to work… without ever being there.
Linda Johnson, a general manager at a Wendy’s in Pennsylvania, had full control over schedules, timesheets, and payroll. She used that access to create a fake employee named William Bright.
She clocked him in. Clocked him out. Logged 128 shifts over 11 months.
Every two weeks, his paycheck—nearly $20,000 in total—was sent straight to her Cash App.
When coworkers were asked about him, most couldn’t recall ever seeing him. One thought they’d met him once—but never actually worked a shift together. That’s because while William Bright was a real person she knew, he never worked there.
The scheme only came to light during a payroll audit. Investigators found inconsistencies, and in April 2023, Linda admitted to it.
The result? Over $15,000 lost by the insurance company—and charges of theft by deception.
Crazy how someone can be “on the schedule” for months… and still never exist.
Linda Johnson, a general manager at a Wendy’s in Pennsylvania, had full control over schedules, timesheets, and payroll. She used that access to create a fake employee named William Bright.
She clocked him in. Clocked him out. Logged 128 shifts over 11 months.
Every two weeks, his paycheck—nearly $20,000 in total—was sent straight to her Cash App.
When coworkers were asked about him, most couldn’t recall ever seeing him. One thought they’d met him once—but never actually worked a shift together. That’s because while William Bright was a real person she knew, he never worked there.
The scheme only came to light during a payroll audit. Investigators found inconsistencies, and in April 2023, Linda admitted to it.
The result? Over $15,000 lost by the insurance company—and charges of theft by deception.
Crazy how someone can be “on the schedule” for months… and still never exist.
For nearly a year, a “Wendy’s employee” showed up to work… without ever being there.
Linda Johnson, a general manager at a Wendy’s in Pennsylvania, had full control over schedules, timesheets, and payroll. She used that access to create a fake employee named William Bright.
She clocked him in. Clocked him out. Logged 128 shifts over 11 months.
Every two weeks, his paycheck—nearly $20,000 in total—was sent straight to her Cash App.
When coworkers were asked about him, most couldn’t recall ever seeing him. One thought they’d met him once—but never actually worked a shift together. That’s because while William Bright was a real person she knew, he never worked there.
The scheme only came to light during a payroll audit. Investigators found inconsistencies, and in April 2023, Linda admitted to it.
The result? Over $15,000 lost by the insurance company—and charges of theft by deception.
Crazy how someone can be “on the schedule” for months… and still never exist.
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