Woman steals over $1 million from job, buys luxury items and guns in Oklahoma, feds say
An Oklahoma woman was sentenced to prison after officials say she stole more than $1 million from her employer and went on a spending spree.
The 38-year-old woman was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, according to a Feb. 21 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
In 2015, the woman was hired to work as an account manager for a company in Tulsa, court records said. Part of her job duties included “handling payroll, paying bills, collecting rent and updating financial documents,” the court document said.
From May 2019 through November 2022, the woman wrote herself more than 150 checks using the company’s bank account, officials said.
In total, the checks accounted for more than $1.1 million, according to officials.
The woman used the stolen money to buy luxury items, such as “vehicles, purses, jewelry and dozens of firearms,” prosecutors said. She also is accused of failing to report the income on her taxes.
“Shelton not only stole from a local business owner, but she also betrayed her employer’s trust,” U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said.
In September, the woman pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of willfully making and subscribing a false federal income tax return.
As part of her sentence, the woman is ordered to pay over $870,000 in restitution to the company and over $309,000 to the IRS.
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 9:35 AM with the headline "Woman steals over $1 million from job, buys luxury items and guns in Oklahoma, feds say."
