Woman pleads guilty to stealing more than $500,000 from Wegmans

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A Webster woman has pleaded guilty to stealing more than a half-million dollars from Wegmans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said between 2014 and February of this year, Alicia Torres, 47, a long-time Wegmans employee, fraudulently processed 350 credit card refund requests in customers’ names with fictitious amounts.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the amounts were based on what Torres observed customers receiving in previous transactions. She then tricked the pharmacist into signing off and authorizing the refunds.

Once the refunds were approved, prosecutors said Torres paid the refund amounts to herself by swiping her debit card in Wegmans’ system. All total, she stole $568,021.69 using this method.

In addition, Torres stole another $10,922 by fraudulently using gift cards between 2020 and February of this year, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Torres faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when sentenced in September for wire fraud.

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