TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A manager at The Abby Apartment Complex is facing fraud charges after being accused of embezzling thousands of dollars worth of tenants' rent money.
Colleen Henerey, 43, was arrested on Wednesday.
On Aug. 13, the regional manager for Stratford Management, which owns The Abby Apartment Complex, contacted the Tallahassee Police Department to file a report related to an employee theft.
The regional manager said Henerey, who managed The Abby, took money orders which were submitted for rent by tenants. According to the regional manager, Henerey cashed the money orders at First Commerce Credit Union (FCCU).
Documents say Henerey worked at The Abby for two to three years before being fired on July 8.
A month earlier, the regional manager posted three day notices for tenants whose rent was past due when Henerey called in sick. The tenants then immediately told the regional manager that they already paid their rent via money orders.
At that time, the manager told investigators she reviewed the tenant payment ledger and discovered the suspected theft.
She stated Henerey would post a payment and then subsequently make an entry of either "rent income - charged rent twice," or "rent income - correction of rent posting." In addition, some entries were made into the ledger, and the entry would be reversed without explanation.
Documents say the regional manager told officers that the funds were not deposited into The Abby's Bank of America banking account, and most likely were taken by Henerey.
She researched the money orders and determined they were cashed at FCCU, which is not a bank used by The Abby, and many of the money orders cashed at FCCU were made out to The Abby.
Documents say officers compared the money orders reported missing, and the ones deposited into FCCU, finding that $4,218.50 worth of money orders appeared to have been cashed, not deposited.
According to a probable cause document, officers called Henerey on Aug. 29 and she agreed to come to TPD to be interviewed. During the conversation, she stated she was taking responsibility for the missing money orders because someone in her house took them.
When interviewed by officers, Henerey said it was her responsibility at The Abby to make sure everything got deposited correctly.
When asked about the comment she made on the phone about someone in her house taking the money order, Henerey stated that a woman named "Rachel Chambers" took the money. According to the police report, when officers ran that name through their database, no local record was found.
When officers followed up with the regional manager, she said she had no idea who Chambers was. Investigators then asked about someone else being able to take money orders, and she stated that wasn't possible.
The manager said that Henerey logged into The Abby's system under her name, logged in with her credentials to make the entries, and changed the amounts to hide the theft. Documents say she stated Henerey is the only person who would have the knowledge of the system and the ability to hide the transactions.
According to the regional manager, a total of $8,518.50 were entered into The Abby's system then changed or deleted to hide the missing funds. Documents say there wasn't enough evidence to charge Henerey for the additional $4,300 that was reported missing.
Based on the evidence and statements provided, Henerey is being charged with organized scheme to defraud under $20,000.
She was taken to the Leon County Detention Center with her bond set at $1,000. She has since bonded out.
