West Miami bookkeeper embezzled thousands from roofing store: deputies
April 16, 2026
The Broward Sheriff’s Office fired a detention deputy who was accused of sexually battering a woman at a party in Deerfield Beach Monday, March 16, 2026. The deputy has also been arrested.
A West Miami bookkeeper is facing several felony charges after authorities said she embezzled more than $22,000 from the roofing supply store where she was employed. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office arrested 38-year-old Liggia Mancia on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, culminating a detailed investigation into financial irregularities reported at Metal Master Shop. Officials allege that Mancia systematically misappropriated company funds over a four-month period, betraying the trust placed in her by the local business. This case highlights the vulnerability of small businesses to internal fraud and the significant legal consequences for such actions.
The timeline of the alleged crime began shortly after Mancia was hired by the West Miami business in August. She was given the position of bookkeeper and was entrusted with exclusive control over the company's financial software, a role that required a high degree of integrity. Her responsibilities included the critical task of managing the flow of money both into and out of the company's accounts. However, according to the arrest affidavit, just one month into her employment, in September, Mancia allegedly began to exploit her access for personal enrichment. This pattern of illicit activity reportedly continued undetected through December, allowing the losses to accumulate significantly over time.
Investigators claim that Mancia devised and executed an organized scheme centered on manipulating the company's payroll system. She is accused of altering payroll records to pay herself unauthorized additional funds with each successive pay period. This method allowed the siphoning of funds to be disguised within routine business operations, making it difficult to spot immediately. The total amount allegedly embezzled through this systematic fraud reached $22,500. An analysis of financial records concluded that the misappropriated money was used for Mancia's personal gain and that she acted with a deliberate intent to defraud her employer, Metal Master Shop.
The alleged scheme unraveled when financial discrepancies prompted an internal review and a subsequent investigation by law enforcement. When Miami-Dade sheriff's deputies confronted Mancia at her home on Wednesday, she allegedly confessed to the entire scheme. Following her confession, she was taken into custody and booked into the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Mancia now faces serious felony charges, including organized fraud for an amount between $20,000 and $50,000, second-degree grand theft, and making a false entry in the books of a business entity. A representative for Metal Master Shop, located on Northwest Eighth Street, has declined to issue a public comment regarding the employee's arrest and the financial loss.
As of Thursday, Mancia was being held on a $12,500 bond. The case now enters the judicial system where the evidence will be formally presented. The Miami-Dade Public Defender's Office, which is representing Mancia, has not commented on the allegations against their client. The charges carry potentially severe penalties under Florida law, reflecting the gravity of grand theft and organized fraud, which can significantly damage the financial stability and operational trust within a small business. The next steps will involve court appearances as the case proceeds toward a resolution.
Source: miamiherald