BURLINGTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A 19-year-old woman has been arrested for her alleged role in a credit card scam that police say involved her making over half-a-million dollars’ worth of fraudulent charges, including the purchase of a Tesla and trip to Hawaii before her arrest.
Ariel Foster of Boston is now facing a charge of Larceny Over $1,200, according to the Burlington Police Department.
In a statement, Burlington Police Chief Thomas Browne said her arrest came weeks after detectives were called to the Lovisa jewelry store in the Burlington Mall for a report of a credit card machine breach on Feb. 22.
Browne said an investigation found that on three dates that month, some items scanned at the register had their prices increased, and that the cost of the items was then allegedly refunded to a credit card belonging to Foster, an employee at the store.
Police identified eight such transactions, adding up to a total loss of $547,187. Authorities also determined Foster was at the store when the breaches occurred.
Police said bank records showed Foster made several expensive transactions in February, including $35,000 for the Tesla, almost $6,000 on airline tickets, more than $20,000 on a hotel in Maui and almost $5,000 at Louis Vuitton.
“My personal opinion is that greed took over,” Browne said on Thursday.
Foster was arrested without incident on Wednesday after Burlington and Boston police officers, along with Lasell University Police, executed search warrants on her residence and dormitory at the university.
The 19 year old was later released on bail and is slated to be arraigned at Woburn District Court on Friday.
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