Facepalm: Walmart's return policy has a reputation for being comically lax but this seems excessive, especially for one person to pull off in just 18 months. Doing some quick math, that works out to an average of more than $72,000 per month. One has to question whether this was a solo operation, what Frudaker did with all the money and how Walmart didn't catch on sooner.
Authorities in Yuma, Arizona, have arrested a 23-year-old man accused of making fraudulent returns at more than 1,000 Walmart stores across the country over an 18-month span.
Officials picked up Thomas Frudaker after he allegedly attempted to return a computer to a Yuma area Walmart he'd previously purchased. Authorities believe Frudaker had purchased the PC then removed select components before attempting the return, presumably to sell elsewhere for a profit.
Upon further investigation, police learned that Frudaker had pulled off similar antics at more than 1,000 Walmart locations across the nation over the past 18 months, defrauding the big box retailer of over $1.3 million in the process.
According to CNN's local affiliate, Frudaker is facing six felony charges including two counts of criminal damage, two counts of fraudulent schemes and two counts of theft. Bail was set at $40,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court Monday, we're told.