Woman mistakenly paid KSh 2.5 million refuses to return money to employer

A woman identified as Rene Nichole Coleman in Arkansas, United States has landed in trouble for refusing to return money mistakenly paid to her.

A payroll mistake saw the 50-year-old Rene receive KSh 2.5 million ($20,000) more than she was owed.

According to WISTV, Rene is now facing a felony theft charge following a ruling by Craighead County District Judge David Boling, who on Monday found probable cause to proceed with the case.

The charge, theft of property valued between KSh 646,000 ($5,000) and KSh 2.5 million ($25,000), is classified as a Class C felony under the law.

According to an affidavit filed in court, the incident dates back to May 10, 2025, when Rene was working for a business in Jonesboro.

Typically earning KSh 2,100 ($16.50) per hour, she was mistakenly paid KSh 213,000 ($1,650) per hour for a 12-hour shift due to a payroll system glitch.

The error resulted in an overpayment of millions, after which the company’s chief executive reported the discrepancy on August 12, 2025.

He alleged that Rene had effectively taken funds that did not belong to her, submitted financial records and email correspondence as evidence, and outlined the extent of the overpayment and attempts to recover it.

“When the error was noticed, Coleman refused to pay back the money,” the affidavit states, framing the dispute as more than a simple accounting mistake.

Police say a detective contacted Coleman, who initially agreed to meet with investigators but did not attend the scheduled interview. Her failure to appear led to the issuance of an arrest warrant.

Authorities confirmed this week that Coleman has since been taken into custody by Jonesboro Police in connection with the outstanding warrant.

She has been released on a $15,000 bond, either in cash or through surety. Coleman is expected to appear in court for her arraignment on 18 May.