Florida Home Depot manager arrested for allegedly dishing out $4M in ‘unauthorized’ discounts to boost his sales

A store manager at a Florida Home Depot is facing serious criminal charges after investigators say he improperly handed out millions of dollars in discounts to regular customers in an effort to inflate his sales performance and earn larger bonuses.

Mauricio Jimenez, 48, was taken into custody on April 21. Authorities have charged him with organized fraud and first-degree grand theft. According to an arrest affidavit, he is accused of reducing prices on at least 4,500 purchases—transactions that together totaled about $55 million—between December 2023 and April 2026.

Investigators allege the markdowns were not random, but part of a consistent pattern designed to drive up reported sales figures. By boosting those numbers, Jimenez allegedly qualified for higher bonus payouts. During an April 22 court appearance, Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer stated that the unauthorized discounts cost the company more than $4 million, while also increasing Jimenez’s compensation.

The issue first came to light when Home Depot’s internal Assurance & Advisory Management Program flagged an unusually large order with steep price reductions at a Hialeah Gardens location where Jimenez worked. That discovery led to a deeper investigation into his activity across multiple stores.

Jimenez’s attorney, Melissa Ramos, said there is no evidence he received kickbacks or personal payments tied to the transactions.

After his arrest, Jimenez was released on a $15,000 bond. As part of his release conditions, he has been ordered to have no contact with Home Depot locations.

Neither the company nor his attorney provided additional comments following the court proceedings.