TEXAS – A North Texas woman has been sentenced to prison for two cases in which she stole more than $1 million from her former employer and used the money to pay for trips, TikTok coins and a suite at the American Airlines Center for Dallas Mavericks games.
According to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, Staci Blackmon, 39, of Southlake, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft over $300,000 and was sentenced to 35 years in prison for each.
Prosecutors said that in 2020, Blackmon began embezzling funds from his deceased boss and a high-profile construction company in his hometown, totaling $1.2 million over a few years.
In an arrest affidavit and search warrants obtained by NBC 5, Blackmon allegedly used most of the stolen money to buy and send “TikTok” coins, an in-app currency purchased with real money.
Documents indicated Blackmon used the company credit card to send nearly $900,000 via PayPal to TikTok. In 2022, authorities and Blackmon’s work finally discovered the theft when the daughter of the elder’s partner reported to Southlake police that hundreds of thousands of dollars were missing from the trust fund her father had left her, according to the affidavit.
The district attorney’s office said the investigation revealed Blackmon also spent money on a Dallas Mavericks suite, home furnishings and extravagant trips.
Blackmon was arrested and charged in 2022.
