A North Texas woman was sentenced to prison for two cases in which she stole over $1 million from her former employer and used the money to pay for trips, TikTok coins, and a suite at the American Airlines Center for Dallas Mavericks games.
According to the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office, 39-year-old Staci Blackmon of Southlake pleaded guilty to two theft charges over $300,000 and was sentenced to 35 years in prison for each.
Prosecutors said that in 2020, Blackmon started embezzling funds from her deceased boss and a high-end construction company in her hometown, amounting to $1.2 million over a few years.
In an arrest affidavit and search warrants obtained by NBC 5, Blackmon reportedly used most of the stolen money to buy and send "TikTok" coins – an in-app currency purchased with real money.
The documents stated that Blackmon used the company credit card to send nearly $900,000 through PayPal to TikTok. In 2022, authorities and Blackmon's job eventually discovered the theft when the senior's partner's daughter reported to Southlake police that hundreds of thousands of dollars were missing from the trust fund her father had left her, the affidavit said.
The attorney's district office said during the investigation, it was revealed that Blackmon also spent money on a suite for the Dallas Mavericks, home furniture, and extravagant trips.
Blackmon was arrested and indicted in 2022.
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