A Best Buy employee in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, has been charged with organized fraud after allegedly using a manager’s register code to apply unauthorized discounts, resulting in losses exceeding $118,000 for the retailer.
The store manager first noticed irregular sales figures on December 18, 2024. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that employee Matthew Lettera had utilized a manager’s register code 149 times between March 1 and December 13, 2024, to significantly reduce prices on various items. During this period, Lettera conducted 97 discounted purchases for himself, amounting to over $81,000, and facilitated 52 additional transactions for others, leading to an additional loss of approximately $36,000. ([wpbf.com](https://www.wpbf.com/article/best-buy-employee-charged-fraud-palm-beach-gardens/70311367?utm_source=openai))
Authorities also found that Lettera had pawned several Apple laptops at a Greenacres store named PayMore. The store owner provided police with transaction records and thumbprint documentation related to these sales. ([wpbf.com](https://www.wpbf.com/article/best-buy-employee-charged-fraud-palm-beach-gardens/70311367?utm_source=openai))
Best Buy’s Code of Ethics emphasizes the importance of protecting company assets and maintaining integrity in all business dealings. Employees are expected to handle physical assets with care, use them as intended, and protect them from theft, fraud, damage, and loss. ([corporate.bestbuy.com](https://corporate.bestbuy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/FY26_Code%20of%20Ethics.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Lettera, 36, who began his tenure at Best Buy in January 2020 after transitioning from a career in culinary arts, now faces charges under Florida law for organized fraud. ([wpbf.com](https://www.wpbf.com/article/best-buy-employee-charged-fraud-palm-beach-gardens/70311367?utm_source=openai))
This incident underscores the critical need for robust internal controls and vigilant monitoring within retail operations to prevent and detect fraudulent activities.