BULLARD, Texas (KETK) — A former bookkeeper is facing serious charges after allegedly embezzling over $67,000 from a Bullard-based construction company, according to a Smith County arrest affidavit.
Danielle Marie Stanley was arrested on August 13 for theft of property after her employers reported she had been writing unauthorized checks to herself from two company accounts over the span of a year. The total theft reportedly reached $67,670.84.
Stanley, who had been employed since May 31, 2023, was never authorized to sign checks on behalf of the company. A July 3 internal audit by one of the owners revealed the first signs of fraud, uncovering around $7,000 in suspicious checks made out to Stanley.
The owners later confronted Stanley, who allegedly admitted to taking the funds to pay off credit card debt. She initially agreed to repay $9,439.61, but that amount still left more than $58,000 unaccounted for.
Further investigation showed Stanley forged signatures on multiple checks, including payments toward her mortgage and credit cards. Police said alterations in the company’s QuickBooks software suggested an effort to conceal the fraud.
Stanley’s embezzlement reportedly began on May 3, 2024, with her last unauthorized check dated June 5, 2025. She was released the same day she was arrested after posting a $100,000 bond.
