JUPITER, Fla. – Meet Michele A. Nichols, the Florida accountant who took the phrase “treat yourself” to a whole new level—by allegedly swiping over $900,000 from her employer.
Nichols, who worked as an accountant for Fitzhugh Holdings in Jupiter, was trusted with payroll and financial operations. But instead of just crunching numbers, she decided to crunch her own bonus—by diverting company funds straight into her personal bank account.
For two years, Nichols allegedly played Santa Claus for herself, giving out the kind of “bonuses” most employees only dream of. Unfortunately for her, the Jupiter Police Department wasn’t exactly in the holiday spirit when they caught on.
This wasn’t Nichols’ first rodeo, either. Back in 2023, she was arrested for another fraud scheme and sentenced to 10 years of probation. Apparently, she took that as a suggestion rather than a warning.
This time, a Palm Beach County judge handed down a six-year prison sentence, with a 104-day credit for time served. So, instead of a tropical vacation, Nichols gets a state-funded staycation—complete with complimentary orange jumpsuits.
Moral of the story? If you’re going to give yourself a raise, maybe don’t make it $900K—and definitely don’t do it twice.