Clovis Woman Charged with Over $4 Million Credit Card Fraud Scheme
A Clovis woman has been arrested and charged with credit card fraud after allegedly using her employer's company American Express credit card to make over $4 million in unauthorized personal purchases. Kelly Lynn Brown, a bookkeeper at a Fresno business specializing in custom countertops and commercial hardwood products, used the credit card for luxury retail purchases, travel, health and beauty treatments, and even bought two high-end vehicles: a 2022 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.
Brown had access to her employer's personally identifiable information, including that of the business owner. She recommended getting an American Express credit card for business expenses in January 2021 but gave the owner two cards without his authorization: one under his personal name and another under the business name. Unbeknownst to him, Brown also obtained a credit card in her own name using the owner's account.
She used the unauthorized credit card for numerous purchases on an online apparel store she started, Western Edge Boutique, as well as other unauthorized expenses between November 2020 and October 2024. The business owner discovered the scheme in late 2024 and fired Brown, leading to her arrest by federal authorities.
Prosecutors say that if convicted, Brown faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.