FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2026
PITTSBURGH —Ashley Apperson, 34, of Leechburg, is facing multiple theft charges for allegedly stealing nearly $300,000 from her employer, Ventec Refrigeration. Apperson has been charged with theft by unlawful taking, access device fraud, misapplication of entrusted funds, receiving stolen property and unlawful use of a computer.
According to the criminal complaint, Apperson was employed at Ventec Refrigeration from 2022 to 2026 and was responsible for performing accounting duties such as processing payroll, paying invoices and reconciling credit card accounts. Following Apperson’s departure from the company, it was discovered that she allegedly issued herself approximately 88 non-payroll checks between 2025 and 2026 and used her company credit card
for her personal benefit.
Investigators traced the unauthorized checks to be deposited into Apperson’s bank account, which was used to pay for personal expenses such as mortgage, car payments, utility bills, vacations and hundreds of transactions from Venmo, PayPal and online gambling sites. The business credit card records reflect numerous unauthorized charges at Dave and Buster’s, PayPal and Amazon from 2024 to 2026.
The total amount of allegedly stolen funds is $299,540.51.
Apperson’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 6, 2026.
An accused is presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law.
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