Panama City Woman Admits to Stealing Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars

BAY COUNTY, FL - Sentencing is set for February for a woman who pled No Contest to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Pamela Lynn Wilson, 66, of Panama City, pled No Contest Monday to Grand Theft over $100,000 and Organized Scheme to Defraud (more than $50,000). Wilson entered an “open plea,” meaning there is no agreement regarding her sentence, which will be decided by the judge. 

Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay set sentencing for Feb. 7. Each crime is a First-Degree Felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Prosecutor Peter Overstreet was prepared to present witnesses and evidence proving the defendant orchestrated false payouts, over a period of years, that the victims believe totaled between $800,000 and $1 million.

The evidence would have shown two business owners traveled to the Panama City Police Department in 2022 to report a theft by their primary bookkeeper. The two described the defendant as a trusted employee, but they discovered about nine checks they had not authorized totaling more than $20,000 written to another business.

Further investigation of the company’s finances showed hundreds of suspicious payouts – almost always $2,500 – to the same business. That business’ records, maintained back to 2018, showed it had received no payments from the victim. The victim’s books showed about $400,000 in payments during that same period.