CURRENT EVENTS

How did a Chick-fil-A employee steal $80,000 using a mac and cheese refund scheme?

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A former Chick-fil-A employee rang up 800 orders of mac and cheese totaling $80,000, then refunded the charges to his personal credit cards.

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SuspectKeyshun Jones, 23, former Chick-fil-A employee
LocationGrapevine, Texas
Amount Stolen$80,000 (approximately £58,800)
MethodRang up 800 catering trays of mac and cheese, then issued unauthorized refunds to personal credit cards
Arrest DateApril 17, 2026
ChargesProperty theft, money laundering, and evading arrest
Current StatusIn custody at Tarrant County jail

The Scheme

Keyshun Jones, 23, allegedly returned to a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Grapevine, Texas after being fired in October 2025. He made his way behind the counter and used the point-of-sale system to ring up 800 catering-sized portions of mac and cheese. He then refunded the $80,000 order to his personal credit cards. The scheme was discovered on November 29 when the franchise owner reviewed surveillance footage showing a man in a brown puffer vest, blue jeans, and backwards white cap using a register to place the order.

Investigation and Arrest

Detectives were alerted to the alleged theft after the franchise owner reported it and provided CCTV evidence. The owner identified Jones as the suspect and noted his direct deposit had been set up through Navy Federal Credit Union before his termination. Police attempted to arrest Jones multiple times before successfully apprehending him on April 17, 2026, with assistance from the Texas attorney general's Fugitive Task Force and the Fort Worth Police Department.

Charges and Custody

Jones has been charged with property theft, money laundering, and evading arrest. He is currently being held in the Tarrant County jail. According to earlier reports, he was also being held at Green Bay prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

Evidence

Surveillance video captured the suspect using the restaurant's cash register. The footage clearly showed him operating the point-of-sale system to issue the unauthorized refunds. This video evidence was instrumental in identifying and charging Jones.

Sources

  1. Former Chick-fil-A employee charged in $80,000 mac-and-cheese scheme (bbc.com)
  2. Chick-fil-A worker accused of criminal mac-tivity in $80,000 mac 'n' cheese fraud, police say (nbcnews.com)