‘Gave herself a bonus’: Woman who stole over $900K from Florida business sentenced to prison
A Jupiter woman who was accused of fraud was sentenced in a Palm Beach County court. According to court documents
By Malcolm Shields
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JUPITER, Florida (WPBF) — A Jupiter woman who was accused of fraud was sentenced in a Palm Beach County court.
According to court documents, Michele A. Nichols pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of organized scheme to defraud and money laundering.
Nichols was sentenced to six years in state prison. She was credited with 104 days in jail.
The Jupiter Police Department said its investigation determined that Nichols, who was an accountant, defrauded a local business out of more than $900,000.
Court records indicate that the business that was victimized was Fitzhugh Holdings in Jupiter.
According to the Jupiter Police Department, Nichols was trusted with managing payroll and financial operations. Nichols, who had been with the company since 2021, was accused of giving herself a bonus by diverting funds into her personal bank account over a two-year period.
This is not the first time Nichols has been prosecuted for fraud.
The Jupiter Police Department said Nichols was arrested in 2023 for a previous fraud scheme. In that case, she was sentenced to 10 years of probation.
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