Delaware State Police say they were contacted by the Sony Corporation back in November of 2009 regarding an embezzlement investigation organized by their Asset Protection Manager. Sony officials informed detectives that 50-year-old Kevin A. Davis and his wife Danielle R. Davis, 39, both of Frederica, Delaware, were employed at the Sony Outlet as managers from June 2006 and October 2006 respectively until April of 2009.
Sony said that after conducting an internal investigation, it was determined that Kevin and Danielle Davis were purchasing Sony products over a 2 and ½ year period and then returning the items for refunds. The couple allegedly purchased over $22,000 in merchandise, however records indicate they returned over $50,000 in merchandise.
The Sony Corporation provided Delaware State Police with detailed spread sheets of each item that was retuned, which revealed that the Davis' would return the merchandise, taking refunds over the amount that the item was valued or paid for.
The Davis' allegedly made their own returns, which enabled them to manipulate the prices and refund. Police say the couple used their own bankcards to make the purchases. They would then have the refund amount credited back to their bank ATM cards.
In addition to the fraud, the State of Delaware Finance Office discovered that the Davis' did not claim this unearned income on their State Of Delaware Tax return in 2009. As a result, the Davis' now may now be subject to an audit by the State of Delaware.
Kevin and Danielle Davis were arrested and released each on $101,000 unsecured bond.