Woman jailed after refusing to return nearly $20K she was mistakenly paid to her employer
An Arkansas woman is facing felony theft charges after authorities say she kept a large overpayment that was mistakenly deposited into her bank account by her employer.
Rene Nichole Coleman, 50, formerly worked for Superior Senior Care, an in-home care provider based in Jonesboro, Arkansas, north of Memphis. Investigators say a payroll error led to Coleman being paid as though she had earned $1,650 per hour for a 12-hour shift, a dramatic increase from her usual wage of $16.50 per hour.
On May 10, 2025, the mistake resulted in an additional $19,388 being deposited into her account. According to a probable cause affidavit later reviewed by USA Today, the company quickly discovered the payroll error and attempted to recover the funds.
Officials say Coleman did not return the money when asked. The company then reported the matter to Jonesboro police, providing financial records and email correspondence as part of its complaint.
Coleman was later charged by Craighead County District Judge David Boling on April 6 with theft of property valued between $5,000 and $25,000, which is classified as a Class C felony in Arkansas.
During the investigation, police say Coleman told her employer she had already spent the funds on repairs for her husband’s semi-truck, but did not give further explanation about the rest of the money.
A detective reportedly contacted her and she agreed to meet for an interview, but authorities say she did not appear at the scheduled appointment. After that, a warrant was issued for her arrest on the theft allegation.
Coleman was not taken into custody immediately on that warrant. Police later said she was arrested on April 6 on a separate outstanding warrant.
Following her arrest, investigators say she agreed to speak with officers without an attorney present. During questioning, she reportedly said she “didn’t pay attention and spent money,” and also indicated she had attempted to offer repayment to her former employer.
Her bond was set at $15,000, and she is scheduled to appear in court on May 18. As of April 10, state records indicated she was not being held in custody.
The case is now set to proceed through the court system.
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