FDLE agents today arrested Richard Earl McWilliams, 56, of 354 Driftwood Point Road, Santa Rosa Beach, on one count of organized fraud, a first degree felony, for stealing from multiple automated teller machines (ATMs) in Okaloosa, Bay, Walton and Franklin Counties as well as Houston County in Alabama.
FDLE’s investigation began in June 2018, when owners of an ATM placement and processing company reported that McWilliams, a sub-contracted employee, had stolen over $100,000 in cash from multiple ATMs.
McWilliams was responsible for loading 42 ATMs with several thousands of dollars in cash on a weekly or as needed basis and maintaining the machines. The company owner became suspicious when monitoring error alerts which indicated there was low to no cash in several of the ATMs that McWilliams was solely responsible for loading and maintaining.
A subsequent company audit revealed that approximately $102,000 was missing from several of the ATMs McWilliams was responsible for loading. The investigation found that multiple cash deposits in excess of $100,000 from unknown sources were made into McWilliams’ bank account between January 2017 and June 2018.
McWilliams was booked at the Walton County Jail. This case is being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, First Judicial Circuit.
