Hamburger Heist: Hardee's Workers in Indiana Accused of Stealing $15k in Complex Credit Card Fraud Scheme to Bail Out Inmates

 Ten Hardee's workers in Indiana have been accused of stealing almost $15,000 from customers in a complex credit card fraud scheme to bail inmates out of jail. The employees, based in Michigan City, were charged with fraud or conspiracy to commit fraud last week, according to the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office. The workers allegedly took photos of customers' credit and debit cards at the drive-thru window of the restaurant in August and September, before depositing money into the communication accounts of inmates with low bond amounts.

The inmates were then able to use the fraudulent funds to bail themselves out almost immediately. Once released, the inmates were transported to ATMs where they withdrew the remaining balance in cash from their jail-issued debit cards. The fraudulent scheme was uncovered when large sums of money were noticed on inmates' communication system accounts. The police, along with staff at the jail, began monitoring the suspicious activity and launched an investigation, eventually discovering a total of $14,700 involved in the complex fraud scheme.

Three Hardee's workers have been charged with fraud and criminal organizational activity, while seven others have been accused of conspiracy to commit fraud. Nine out of the ten suspects have been arrested, with the police now seeking public assistance in locating the final suspect. The victims, who had their card numbers stolen while making purchases at the drive-thru, are now working with their banks to recover their lost funds. The alleged fraud scheme was limited to employees from one Hardee's store in Michigan City. The sheriff's office commended the quick actions of jail administration in catching the irregularities early on, ensuring that more citizens did not become victims.