Wegmans worker admits to stealing almost $600,000

A Webster woman has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges for stealing almost $600,000 from Wegmans, where she worked for 27 years.

Alicia Torres, 47, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge David G. Larimer to wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Between 2014 and February 2023, Torres used the company’s system for filling customers’ prescriptions to fraudulently process about 350 credit card refund requests in customers’ names with fictitious amounts, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Torres tricked the pharmacist on duty to sign off on and authorize the fraudulent refund requests, the prosecutors said. Once refund requests were approved, Torres paid the refund amounts to herself by swiping her bank debit card in Wegmans’ point of sale system.

Torres received $568,021.69 in fraudulent refunds. In addition, between 2020 and February 2023, she fraudulently used Wegmans gift cards to steal $10,922.17 from Wegmans.

Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 11.