Tallahassee theater star accused of stealing nearly $77,000 from rental company

A Tallahassee man who starred in local theater played a lead role in an embezzlement scheme, according to the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

Hunter Flora was arrested Tuesday on grand theft, fraud, forgery and other charges in connection with stealing nearly $77,000 in rent money paid to his employer.

Investigators have accused the 22-year-old, who was set to star in Theatre Tallahassee's upcoming performance of "Singin' in the Rain," of stealing the money from the Lauer Real Estate Group.

Casey and Brittany Lauer, co-owners of the property management business, first became aware of the stolen money in October. Renters would bring checks or money orders to Flora, who was the receptionist, according to LCSO. Flora would then log the payments and issue a receipt and deposit the payment into the company's escrow account, which normally had a balance of about $100,000.

In October, an accountant told Casey Lauer the escrow account only had $4,000. The Lauers checked their financial database, but it said there was a balance of about $100,000. Flora was accepting the money orders and entering them into the computer, but not depositing them into the escrow account, according to LCSO. He altered the "Pay To" line so he could cash the money orders. He also directed some clients to pay in cash, which is against company policy.

When confronted in the presence of other employees and his parents, Flora admitted to stealing the money. He said he "stole so much money he was unable to keep track of how much he had stolen," according to court records. He said he "planned to make things right" and would pay back the money by getting a job because he had already spent it.

Flora kept 14 cash transactions and more than 170 money orders. Bail was set at $25,000 and he bonded out on Wednesday.

Theatre Tallahassee says Flora has been replaced for the production that begins on April 6. He recently starred in the Quincy Music Theatre's production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." He's also starred in "Beauty and the Beast" and "9 to 5: The Musical."

Contact Ashley White at adwhite@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi.