Simone Carrie Diane Folk and Lavelle Denise Payne were arrested, convicted and sentenced for their part in a massive credit-card skimming ring, which netted nearly $750,000 from patrons at some of Washington, D.C.’s most popular restaurants.
But that has been no obstacle to getting other restaurant jobs.
Folk, a 28-year-old single mother with two children, worked at the M&S Grill at the time of her arrest in late March. In June, she pleaded guilty to using a credit card skimmer to steal credit card information that resulted in roughly $137,500 in purchases and affected 33 financial institutions.
But, in April, she was already working as a cashier at Cosi, a restaurant in Arlington, VA.
“Who am I to say she doesn’t deserve a second chance?” her boss, Robert Bates, told The Examiner. He also said Folk was honest about her history, and he was thinking of promoting her.
Payne, 41, a single mother with one child, worked at 701 Restaurant when she was arrested in March, and pleaded guilty to stealing credit card information that resulted in nearly $50,000 in purchases and affected 10 financial institutions.
After her arrest, she was first hired at Cosi, but began working April 23 at Harry’s Tap Room in Arlington, and was promoted to trainer.
Payne’s boss, John Cosgrove, was quoted in court documents as saying her work was invaluable and she was an exemplary employee.
Both women have since been sentenced in federal court. Folk was sentenced July 17 and received a one-year prison term. Payne was sentenced July 24 to serve six months of home detention.
All the other servers involved in the scheme have pleaded guilty. They are: Jamaal Snowden, 26, who is to be sentenced July 31; Vasha Monique Carter, 31, who will also be sentenced July 31. Shannon Eileen McLaughlin, 23, is to be sentenced August 7.
The admitted ringleaders are Joseph Artemus Bush III, age 28, who is scheduled to be sentenced August 21; Erick V. Burton, 38 will be sentenced July 31, and Aaron D. Gilbert, 25, who was scheduled to be sentenced July 24.
Tags: Aaron D. Gilbert, credit card skimmers, Erick V. Burton, Jamaal Snowden, Joseph Artemus Bush III, Lavelle Denise Payne, LifeLock review, Shannon Eileen McLaughlin, Simone Carrie Diane Folk, Vasha Monique Carter
Thank you very much for that superb article. ALWAYS pay with cash in restaurants and bars! It’s too easy for waitresses/waiters to use skimmers! I was shocked to learn that these two could get jobs in other restaurants that fast!
Thank you very much for that article. When I hear someone got arrested for something like this, I think Good. Another one off the street and they can’t do any more damage. I guess I’m wrong.
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