Restaurant district manager sentenced to federal prison for stealing nearly $700,000 from employer
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The following is a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office District of Idaho.
BOISE – Javier D. Ruiz, 35, of Mountain Home, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for Wire Fraud, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis announced.
According to court records, Ruiz stole $685,376 from his employer, a franchisee of national restaurant chains. As a district manager, Ruiz supervised a number of restaurants in Idaho, including overseeing payroll.
From at least April 2021 through April 2024, Ruiz devised a scheme wherein he manipulated his employer’s payroll system, changing the names and other information associated with employee numbers of former employees.
After manipulating the employee numbers, Ruiz entered hours using the numbers that were never worked, causing fraudulent payroll payments to issue. To access and take the fraudulent payroll money, Ruiz used at least three different methods – cashing checks, depositing earnings on fraudulent Rapid Paycards, and direct deposit.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Ruiz to serve two years of supervised release following his prison sentence and $685,376 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Darci Crane prosecuted the case.