SPRINGTOWN, Texas (WKRC) — A McDonald’s owner in Texas issued a statement after an employee allegedly double-charged customers for their orders.
The Springtown Police Department said 19-year-old Giovanni Primo Blount was taken into custody after he allegedly profited by double-charging customers at a McDonald’s location.
In a news release shared on Facebook, police said Blount was charged with fraudulent use or possession of identifying Information more than 50 items, which is a first-degree felony.
The arrest came after a McDonald’s customer reported a suspicious charge on their debit card sometime after visiting a location in Springtown, Texas, according to WFAA.
The suspect was working the drive-thru at the time and allegedly charged customers twice for their orders, WFAA reported.
FILE – The McDonald’s logo is displayed at a McDonald’s restaurant on July 22, 2024. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
How it worked
According to the outlet, Blount allegedly carried out the following actions to steal money from customers:
- Processed the legitimate McDonald’s order
- Used a personal device to tap the customer’s card a second time, pocketing an additional $10 to $20
- Routed the funds to one of his own accounts
Assistant City Administrator Christina Derr told the media outlet reporters that the suspect performed all of these actions in view of McDonald’s surveillance cameras.
“He was able to see the suspect using customers’ cards to process their valid McDonald’s transaction and then turning and tapping his phone, where an application was set up to process those transactions,” Derr told the outlet. “They interviewed the suspect, who admitted to what he was doing, and he was actually able to refund some of the charges right there in front of the officer.”
Authorities said the fraudulent charges were likely isolated to Sunday, January 18, but advised customers to check their bank accounts. Officials said the suspect received approximately $700 before being arrested, according to the report.
Veronica Ruano, the owner of the location, issued the following statement to WFAA in regard to the matter:
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“This situation does not reflect the standards we hold for our restaurant. We worked closely with local authorities and completed a thorough internal review. All affected customers have been fully refunded, and the individual involved is no longer employed at the restaurant. Our commitment to integrity and the trust of our customers remains our top priority.”
