Midland woman admits to $430K fraud scheme

MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A Midland woman has been arrested after authorities say she embezzled more than $430,000 from her longtime employer over the course of several years. 61-year-old, Bettye Brown Thiel, has been charged with Credit Card/Debit Card Abuse, a first-degree felony, and Theft of Property over $300,000, a first-degree felony.

According to an arrest affidavit, on October 17, 2024, officers with the Midland Police Department responded to a report of financial fraud at the Midwest Door and Window Company. The company’s president told investigators that he had been alerted by Community National Bank to unusual transactions.

Upon further review, he discovered multiple fraudulent checks written out to Thiel, the company’s bookkeeper since 2006. The checks, totaling over $423,000, appeared to be signed by the company’s assistant manager, but he later confirmed that his signature had been forged.

When confronted, Thiel allegedly admitted to the fraud, stating, “I did it. I confess. I’m a really bad person,” according to witness statements included in the affidavit. She also reportedly told her employers that she had been a “scummy person” for the past 18 years. Following the admission, Thiel was immediately terminated from her position.

During the investigation, Detectives with the Midland Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit determined that Thiel had been manipulating financial records to conceal her actions. She allegedly altered bank reconciliations in QuickBooks to make it appear that payments were made to legitimate vendors while actually writing checks to herself.

Additionally, she reportedly used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized purchases and later refunded the money to her personal bank account.

Authorities subpoenaed financial records from Community National Bank and Capital One, revealing that Thiel had deposited fraudulent checks into her personal accounts. Investigators estimate that the total amount stolen between 2016 and 2024 was at least $430,179, though records prior to 2016 were unavailable.

Thiel was arrested on March 3, 2025, by the Midland County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Midland County Detention Center, where she remains with a $575,000 bond.

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