A payroll supervisor at a Miami company was arrested on Tuesday after police uncovered evidence linking her to the theft of over $46,000 from employees’ paychecks. Saidah Christina Byars, 35, who began working at Mr. Hospitality Group in March, is accused of redirecting multiple employees’ direct deposits to bank accounts tied to her personal email address.
According to the Miami Police Department, employees at Mr. Hospitality Group, located at 999 Brickell Ave., began complaining about missing paychecks shortly after Byars was hired. Initially, management believed the issue was due to a glitch in their new payroll system. However, an internal audit conducted by the company’s IT department revealed that Byars had altered the direct deposit information for more than 10 employees, both current and former, redirecting their funds to two PNC Bank accounts connected to her email.
Police stated that deposits made to these accounts ranged from $518.29 to $1,596.41, amounting to a total of $46,135.21 in stolen funds. The stolen money was quickly drained through ATM withdrawals, retail purchases, and Cash App payments.
Byars’s employment ended on May 19 after her access to the payroll system was revoked, and she reportedly left the office, cutting off all contact with the company. When questioned by police, Byars denied involvement, claiming that her computer was accessible to others and that any payroll changes were approved by a supervisor.
She was arrested on charges of grand theft, organized fraud, and fraudulent use of identification. Byars remains in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with her bond pending.
