Ex-Home Depot Employee Sentenced for $4 Million Gift Card Theft
Background of the Theft
A former employee of Home Depot has been sentenced to over three years in prison after admitting to stealing thousands of gift cards, resulting in significant losses for the company.
Details of the Crime
The woman, identified as F.I. from Covington, Georgia, orchestrated a scheme to steal and activate gift cards worth approximately $4 million. She used her position at the company to carry out the fraud while working at the Home Depot Support Center.
Having been with Home Depot since 2008, F.I. began the illicit activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when fewer employees were present at the workplace. Over 16 months, she unlawfully obtained and activated 8,325 gift cards using her employee credentials. To cover her tracks, she fabricated fake corporate events.
Use of Stolen Funds and Investigation
The funds obtained from these activated gift cards were primarily spent on financing F.I.’s gambling habits, according to statements from the Department of Justice.
The thefts took place between March 2020 and July 2021. The unusual decrease in staff during the pandemic gave F.I. the opportunity to operate without immediate detection. She sold the stolen gift cards at a discounted rate until her fraudulent actions were discovered.
The Home Depot Gift Card Team noticed significant discrepancies in their records, indicating missing cards. Their effort, paired with the investigation by the US Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies, ultimately led to identifying F.I. as the perpetrator.
Consequences and Sentencing
After pleading guilty on May 1, 2025, F.I. was sentenced to three years and one month in prison. Additionally, she is required to pay restitution totaling over $4 million to compensate for the losses inflicted on Home Depot.
She will also serve three years of supervised release following her prison term.
Official Statements
Robert Donovan, acting special agent in charge of the United States Secret Service Atlanta Field Office, praised the diligent efforts of his agents, in cooperation with Home Depot and prosecutors, for uncovering and stopping the scheme.
Donovan commented, “Thanks to the persistent work of our agents and the collaboration from Home Depot and the US Attorney’s Office, justice has been served, and she will spend the next three years in prison paying for her crimes.”
