Nationwide — Rene Nichole Coleman, a 50-year-old woman from Arkansas, was arrested after authorities said she kept more than $19,000 that was accidentally overpaid to her due to a payroll error. The payment mistake set her hourly wage at $1,650 instead of $16.50, and she allegedly refused to return the excess funds.
On May 10, 2025, a payroll system glitch at a business in Jonesboro, Arkansas, miscalculated Coleman’s pay for a scheduled 12-hour shift. Because of the error, her wage was processed at the incorrect rate of $1,650 per hour. That shift alone resulted in a total payment of $19,388 being deposited into her account.
A police affidavit stated that Coleman did not report the overpayment to her employer. The company later discovered the issue during a routine review of payroll records.
Once the discrepancy was identified, the business owner reported the matter to the police on August 12, 2025. Authorities said supporting documents and internal communications confirmed the money was not legitimately owed.
According to KAIT8, investigators said Coleman was contacted and initially agreed to meet with a detective, but she failed to attend the scheduled interview. This led to the issuance of an arrest warrant.
She was later arrested on April 6 in connection with the outstanding warrant. Coleman now faces a theft charge involving more than $5,000 but less than $25,000, classified as a Class C felony in Arkansas.
A judge set her bond at $15,000 cash or surety, and she is scheduled for arraignment on May 18. Officials have not released additional details about her specific job role or further information about the company involved.