Lakeland, Florida – On June 22, 2018 deputies served a warrant for the arrest of Christy Lynn Denaco, 48 yrs old of Lakeland. Denaco was arrested and charged with grand theft, multiple counts of forgery and multiple counts of uttering a forged instrument against her employer. The state attorneys office brought the charges.
Denaco was employed at Waller Group, a Lakeland business, in the accounting department as an accounts payable clerk. According to the arrest affidavit part of Denaco’s duties was to receive and organize the bills coming into the company and create the checks to pay the bills. Being located in this position gave Denaco access to the company checks and credit card information. Around September of 2017, Denaco resigned from the Waller Group. After Denaco left employment, Waller hired a new accountant, who discovered the alleged scheme to defraud.
According to the arrest affidavit Denaco allegedly conducted her scheme in two different ways. First, Denaco would utilize the company credit card to make payments to her personal bills. Second, Denaco would create fraudulent checks then split deposit the checks into her personal MidFlorida Bank account.
The affidavit alleges that the Denaco used a Waller Group Centennial Bank credit card to pay her electric bill at Lakeland electric on June 2, 2017 in the amount of $316.80. Lakeland Electric was subpoenaed to provide the record of this transaction. Their records indicate that this payment was made on account number which is the account of Christy Lynn Denaco at 4915 Shady Oak Drive North in Lakeland Florida. Denaco also allegedly paid another payment to Lakeland Electric Company for $410.38 in August. On August 20, 2017, two payments were made on the Waller credit card to Brighthouse Communications. The payment amounts were $189.76 and $200.42. Charter Communications was subpoenaed to provide records of these transactions. Their records indicate that these
two payments were made on account number which is the account of Austin Johnson at 4915 Shady Oak Drive North in Lakeland. Austin Johnson is the son of Christy Denaco whose current address on her driver’s license is the same address.
According to the arrest affidavit Danaco isn’t being accused of just paying a few bills. She is being accused of forging and cashing over 12 checks. According to the affidavit Denaco also created a fraudulent vendor named Mohawk Distribution into Waller’s database. Denaco created a false invoice from this fake company dated August 1, 2017. The invoice was for $2,180.00. On August 28, 2017 a fraudulent check #134863 was created by Denaco, payable to Christen Demarco, in this amount, and was negotiated at MidFlorida Credit Union as a split deposit into her account. Bank surveillance video shows Denaco conducting this transaction. Denaco is accused of doing this several other times according to the arrest affidavit. Denaco is accused of trying to willfully deprive her employer of over $20,000.
Denaco was released on $17,000 bail. Denaco could be facing 15 years or more if convicted of all charges.
