Woman accused of stealing $19k from employer to shop, pay car note

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former bookkeeper is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from her employer to shop online and make a car payment.

Stephanie Cavender, 40, has been charged with theft of property, forgery, identity theft and fraud.

Shelby Railroad Services said they discovered Cavender had taken over $19,000 from the company after she used a work computer to shop on Amazon with the company’s credit card.

According to an affidavit of complaint, Cavender is accused of using the company card to make $5,575 worth of purchases online and pay a $562 car note.

Investigators said Cavender also forged company checks totaling $13,231. Shelby Railroad Service administrators said Cavender embezzled money by writing checks and predating them to before she started working for the company.

Cavender told WREG she wanted to tell her side of the story but wasn’t sure how much she could say about the case right now.

“What I can say is, the truth will come out in court, and the allegations are false,” said Cavender.

Cavender was released from the Shelby County Jail on a $75,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

Court records show in 2020, Cavender pleaded guilty to theft of less than $1,000 and received a suspended sentence.

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