A shocking turn of events has unfolded in Panama City Beach, Florida, leaving many stunned. Aaron Lee, the Vice President of Administration for Visit Panama City Beach, has been arrested and charged with Grand Theft. But what exactly happened? Let's dive in.
According to reports, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office took Lee into custody on January 3rd following an investigation into the alleged misuse of a company-issued credit card. The investigation began after discrepancies were found between the credit card statements and the business's expense logs. This is where it gets interesting...
Tourist Development Council President and CEO Dan Rowe confirmed that Lee was issued an American Express card strictly for business purposes. However, a review revealed a significant difference between the card's usage and the recorded expenses, with the issues dating back to April 2024.
Here's the jaw-dropping part: Lee racked up nearly $1 million in transactions on the card. Yet, only $58,000 of those expenses were logged in the company's expense tracking system. The affidavit details over 1,000 transactions between April 2024 and January 2026, including charges at expensive hotels and restaurants, Venmo payments, and various airline costs.
Five specific charges raised red flags, deemed to be of a personal nature. These included a home water filtration system, charges to companies running international cruises, and a company specializing in horse auctions. These five charges alone totaled over $100,000.
Rowe believes Lee may have been deleting transactions from the company's Expensify account to conceal the personal use of the card. On January 3rd, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Lee’s residence. During questioning, Lee claimed the charges were accidental, stating he had linked the card to his Apple Pay. He later admitted to personal use, specifically the water filtration system, and said he intended to repay the money but failed to do so. The search also uncovered several high-end watches, including Rolex and Cartier brands.
Lee now faces a felony charge of Grand Theft over $100,000, along with five counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.
What do you think about this situation? Do you believe the charges were truly accidental, or is there more to the story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
