MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A BrandsMart employee in Miami Gardens was arrested over the weekend after police said he fraudulently processed thousands of dollars in fake return transactions and deposited the money onto his personal debit card.
According to an arrest report from the Miami Gardens Police Department, officers responded Saturday to the BrandsMart store located at 4320 NW 167th St. in reference to a theft investigation involving an employee.
Loss prevention officers told police the employee, identified as Malachi Lapaka Fuller-Albury, had been employed by BrandsMart since April 2025 and was allegedly conducting return transactions without any merchandise being returned.
Investigators said Fuller-Albury, 20, of Miami, processed the refunds directly onto his personal Visa debit card.
According to the report, an internal investigation uncovered 17 fraudulent transactions conducted between April 4, 2025, and this past Saturday, totaling $16,445.58. Authorities said all of the funds were deposited into a Space Coast Visa debit card belonging to Fuller-Albury.
Police said loss prevention officers reviewed surveillance footage and store records showing Fuller-Albury logging into the company’s computer system, looking around to ensure no one was watching, and then swiping his personal debit card to process the returns.
After police officers reviewed the surveillance footage and itemized transaction records, Fuller-Albury was brought into the store’s loss prevention office, according to the report.
Authorities said Fuller-Albury was advised of his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with investigators.
During questioning, police showed him surveillance images connected to the transactions. According to the arrest report, Fuller-Albury signed, dated, and initialed the photos, acknowledging that he was the person shown in the images.
Investigators said Fuller-Albury admitted that the scheme began accidentally.
“(He) stated that one day, by mistake, he returned a transaction to his personal debit card and got away with it, and just continued with the illegal activity,” the report states.
Police said Fuller-Albury later provided a full recorded confession, admitting he knew his actions were illegal.
Authorities also recovered an Ed Fed Visa debit card from Fuller-Albury that allegedly matched the card used in all 17 transactions. The card was taken into evidence.
Fuller-Albury was arrested on a charge of first-degree grand theft and was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
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