Woman arrested for stealing over $150K from Naples Ballet

Author: Sommer Senne Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
arrest
Nicole Christine Saunders. Credit: Naples Police Department

The Naples Police Department arrested a woman for allegedly stealing over $150,000 from the Naples Ballet, a non-profit organization.

Police brought 54-year-old Nicole Christine Saunders, who was the organization’s office manager, to the Collier County Jail on Monday.

Detectives began their investigation after the owner of Naples Ballet, located at 1005 5th Ave. North, contacted police on Dec. 5, 2022, to report more than $100,000 lost through fraudulent acts.

Police learned Saunders devised a “complex fraud scheme” that was carried out for more than four years.

Saunders allegedly created a fictitious company that processes payments for credit cards belonging to Naples Ballet.

She then conducted 298 fraudulent transactions from 2019 to 2022, totaling over $153,000.

The money was then credited to a PayPal account she controlled.

Saunders then used the account to obtain cash advances at a casino totaling $134,643.

Through an investigation conducted by police, Saunders was charged with scheming to defraud, grand theft over $100,000 and criminal use of personal identification information.

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