LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A former Las Vegas apartment manager is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from her employer by having tenants pay her directly or by having people who didn’t even have leases live on property and pay her, police allege in documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
Chelsey Howard faces charges of theft, forgery and unlawful felony act regarding computers, records showed.
In May 2021, the owner and manager of Sunridge Apartment Homes, located in the southeast valley on Vegas Valley Drive near Nellis Boulevard, reported an alleged embezzlement regarding two former employees, documents said. One former employee was Howard; the other’s name was redacted in court documents. It was unclear if the second person faced any charges.
The owner became suspicious when a credit card statement showed several food purchases on an account meant for office supplies, documents said. A forensic auditor later found “tampered money order numbers.”
An audit later found Howard allegedly “began to receive cash payments directly from residents” beginning in 2019, documents said. “[The owner] stated the audit had shown large amounts of missing rent payments, cash payments to Chelsey, residents living on property with no leases paying directly to Chelsey.”
The business’ estimated loss totaled more than $160,000, documents said.
An auditor later found “several inconsistencies in the residential payment records connected to Chelsey’s login credentials,” documents said. “This resulted in missing money which included, rent, security deposits, and other scheduled charges.”
Investigators with Metro police later learned some tenants were paying Howard through a personal payment application, documents said.
Following her termination, Howard attempted to file for unemployment from the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation but was denied, documents said.
Metro police arrested Howard on Thursday, Sept. 7, records showed. She posted bond and was due to return to court in November. An attorney for Howard was not listed in the court record.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
