Penn Crest Employee Charges $16K on Boss' Credit Cards, Police Say

A former employee at Penn Crest Apartments on W. Fairmont Street in South Whitehall allegedly used company credits cards for his personal use, ringing up $16,150 in unauthorized charges at Lowe's and Home Depot, South Whitehall police say.

Emanuel M. Fazenda, 32, of the 500 block of Fifth Avenue, Bethlehem, is charged with theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud. 

According to the arrest affidavit, Fazenda made $3,680 in unauthorized purchases on his company-issued Home Depot commercial account card, including a day after he had left his job at Penn Crest, which is run by Kriegman & Smith Property Management.

He also allegedly made $12,470 in unauthorized purchases on a Lowe's business account and Home Depot's commercial account for Penn Crest Gardens from November 2012 to May 2013. 

Fazenda told police in late June that he had talked with his former employer's general manager and admitted to making the purchases, according to the affidavit. But he said he intended to pay back the property management company. He told police that he would arrange a payment plan.

A month later, however, the company's general manager told police that he had not been able to reach Fazenda, by phone or certified mail.

Fazenda, who was arrested Tuesday, was arraigned before District Judge Michael Faulkner of Upper Macungie. He was released on 10 percent of $25,000 bail.