Alabama woman charged for theft of nearly $500K, investigation underway

VILLA RICA, Ga. (CBS46) - An Alabama woman wanted in connection to theft of nearly $500K was arrested and charged by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, officials told CBS46 News.

Officials say 66-year-old Shirley Brown of Eastaboga, was charged with one count of theft after a preliminary investigation uncovered she stole $498,815 during the period between January 2015 and January 2021.

Brown was a property manager of the Mirror Lakes Homeowners Association since 2014 and as part of her duties, she oversaw managing the bank account for the Mirror Lakes HOA. According to the investigation, her duties also included accepting payments, paying bills and making bank deposits. Officials say members of the HOA discovered a discrepancy within the bank account that totaled more than $189K.

The investigation revealed that in addition to her yearly salary, Brown wrote herself unauthorized checks claiming them to be for bonuses and vacation pay.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Villa Rica Police Department at (770) 459-5149 or the GBI Region 2 Field Office at (706) 565-7888. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Coweta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, officials add.