Ashley Stibbins-Parker, a 30-year-old Philadelphia resident, is accused of stealing a $184,000 pandemic relief cheque intended for the city of Weston. She allegedly utilized the stolen monies for personal expenses, such as a butt lift and a luxury shopping spree.
According to Local 10 News, Stibbins-Parker used a bogus “City of Weston LLC” bank account in Georgia to transfer monies back in 2021.
The federal CARES Act payment, destined for Weston City Hall, never arrived. Instead, money landed up in a Sandy Springs Bank of America account in the LLC’s name.
Authorities believe that Stibbins-Parker took more than $119,000 from the account immediately after depositing the check. The investigation uncovered many transactions involving large funds paid to individuals and businesses, although it is unclear whether others were aware of the scam.
Further research revealed expenses such as a $6,250 purchase for a Brazilian buttock lift at a Miramar plastic surgery center and aircraft tickets from Miami to Atlanta. The monies also funded a luxury shopping spree in Bal Harbour, including purchases from high-end boutiques.
Bank of America eventually terminated the bogus account with a significant negative balance in June 2021. Stibbins-Parker was eventually caught in Maryland and extradited to Broward County, where she is facing accusations of organized fraud, money laundering, and grand theft.
Stibbins-Parker is now in detention in BSO’s Paul Rein Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond. She has pled not guilty to the accusations, and the case is still in court.