A former Douglas County Sam’s Club employee has been found guilty of an identity fraud scheme involving more than 100 cell phone accounts, officials say.
On Aug. 28, a jury found Darlita Lynette McKeever guilty of five counts of theft by taking, two counts of theft by deception, and four counts of identity fraud, the Douglas County District Attorney announced.
Prosecutors say that McKeever was arrested on Sept. 24, 2020, after an investigation by local law enforcement and internal Walmart corporate investigators.
According to officials, McKeever opened more than 100 Sprint cellular accounts using fake identities and those of people who did not give her authorization to use their personal details. McKeever then stole the cellphones connected with the accounts, investigators said.
At the time, McKeever was working at the Sam’s Club on Concourse Parkway in…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.