WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. — A company bookkeeper stole more than $1 million from his employer and used it on NFL season tickets, cruises and Disney trips, police say.
- Rodolfo Olivas, 46, accused of $1.3M embezzlement scheme
- Authorities say he used business checks, cards, bank accounts
- Detectives: Olivas spent money on Disney trips, Bucs tickets
Officers from West Melbourne Police and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office raided the Indialantic, Fla. home of 46-year-old Rodolfo Olivas on Thursday.
Detectives were looking for evidence of anything purchased with $1.3 million stolen from his former employer, Hills, Inc., at 7785 Ellis Road in West Melbourne.
They say Olivas used business checks, credit cards, plus several credit and bank accounts in an embezzlement scheme.
Investigators say he led a lavish life, going on cruises and spending company money Disney trips, Tampa Bay Buccaneers season tickets and bars and restaurants.
Detectives say Olivas has a drug and alcohol problem, and spiraled out of control. Another employee did his work while he vacationed in 2017 and discovered the scheme.
"They trusted this guy as a family member," West Melbourne Police Det. Donovan Brickhouse said. "And he would come in, business as usual, nothing out of the ordinary, so there were no red flags."
Hills, a synthetic fiber manufacturing company, fired Olivas after learning of the allegations, and its says no customers were affected.
Olivas faces multiple felony charges, including grand theft, scheme to defraud and money laundering.
He's being held in the Brevard County Jail on $721,000 bond and is due back in court May 10.