Woman Accused Of Embezzling Thousands From Employer, Employees

A Broken Arrow woman is out on bond after being accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from her employer.

An affidavit said Ashley Brown stole more than $15,000 from the health care company, and later started her own company.

An affidavit said Brown handled payroll and accounts for Association for Direct Care Trainers, a Tulsa health care company that provides services for Medicaid Recipients.

The document said Brown redirected Medicaid payments into her own account or business account, stole money by redirecting employee direct deposit into her own accounts, and took out debit cards in employees' names to use for herself. It said Brown resigned after the company discovered what she did.

"She contacted me to see if I would help her start an agency," said Sherry Sly. "I hadn't seen her do anything wrong at the agency."

Sherry Sly worked with Brown and said she had no idea about the embezzlement. She helped Brown set up a new health care business: Golden Care Home Health.

"Everything was great in the beginning," said Melissa Purcell.

Purcell took a job helping clients at Golden Care last August, and stopped getting paid in November.

"It went from checks bouncing to not getting checks at all," Purcell said.

Purcell said she still cared for the elderly and disabled for almost two months, even though she wasn't being paid.

"I had to take out a second loan to pay for my rent so I wouldn't get evicted," Purcell said.

This week, officers arrested Brown for embezzlement over $15,000 and identity theft from the first health care company.

Purcell and Sly said they're still out thousands of dollars.

"How can a person like this get in a field where there is so much care for other people, but not care?" Purcell said.