A former payroll manager in Florida is accused of quietly stealing more than $1.5 million from a Miami doctor’s office by allegedly boosting her own pay, giving herself unauthorized bonuses and using a company credit card for personal spending.
Rachel Lynne Poor, 40, of Coral Springs, was arrested May 21 on charges of first-degree grand theft, organized scheme to defraud and credit card fraud, according to a Miami Police Department arrest report cited by multiple local outlets.
Poor worked as the paymaster at Miami Back & Neck Specialists, an orthopedic clinic located on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami’s Bay Point neighborhood.
Authorities say the alleged scheme was discovered after a new payroll manager was hired and noticed suspicious activity tied to Poor’s payroll records.
The orthopedic surgeon who owns the clinic filed a police report in June 2024 after the new employee flagged the issue, according to the arrest report.
Investigators allege Poor had been altering her own payroll information, including increasing her salary and issuing bonuses to herself without the doctor’s knowledge or approval.
Police also claim Poor misrepresented herself as the owner when setting up the clinic’s company account with payroll processor ADP.
That allegedly gave her full administrative access over payroll functions, including salaries, bonuses, payment approvals and account-level permissions.
According to investigators, the alleged theft went on for more than two years.
From September 2021 through January 2024, Poor allegedly increased her biweekly salary by about $1,720 and gave herself bonuses as large as $25,000 at a time.
Authorities say that part of the alleged scheme totaled $1,092,692.
Police also allege Poor made another $411,737 in unauthorized personal purchases using a company credit card.
In total, investigators say the alleged fraud added up to more than $1.5 million.
Court records show Poor has filed a written plea of not guilty, waived arraignment and requested a jury trial.
The records list Jean Richardson as her attorney. An arraignment hearing had been scheduled for July 20 in Miami-Dade County court.
Bond amounts across the three felony charges were listed at a total of $35,000.