A Covenant Transport employee who was in charge of issuing company debit cards has been charged with embezzling over $600,000 from the Chattanooga-based trucking company.
Federal authorities said Loretta Blevins improperly used the "ComData" cards in three states to withdraw the large amount of money.
The cards are issued to truck drivers and other employees to cover business expenses. They can be used at any ATM machine and at truck stops that honor them as well as MasterCard locations worldwide.
Ms. Blevins was interviewed Dec. 3, 2008, and she acknowledged that she had loaded unauthorized ComData cards with company funds.
She said she started loading the funds for her own use in June 2007 and continued until she was fired in October 2008.
She made withdrawals in Tennessee and Georgia and in Florida while she was vacationing there.
She claimed she gave some of the money to a co-worker and used the rest to buy groceries for her family.
Ms. Blevins is charged with wire fraud.