Three women in St. Lucie County are facing felony charges after detectives say a bookkeeping insider helped siphon nearly $7 million from a local truss company over seven years. Investigators allege the money moved through unauthorized wire transfers, duplicate payments and personal expenses ranging from utility bills to luxury vehicles.
The arrests came July 16 after an investigation into Southern Truss Companies, according to West Orlando News. Laura Beth Grasso, 43, of Fort Pierce, allegedly used her role as the company’s bookkeeper and comptroller to bypass accounts-payable and payroll controls.
How Detectives Say The Alleged Scheme Worked
According to WPBF, Grasso allegedly initiated millions of dollars in manual wire transfers from company accounts to unintended third parties. Investigators also say she issued duplicate payroll payments that benefited herself, Sheri Lynn Harrs and Tina Marie Mejia.
Detectives allege Grasso provided Harrs, 38, of Fort Pierce, and Mejia, 55, of Port St. Lucie, with additional payments and covered personal expenses to keep them from reporting the activity. The alleged proceeds were used for luxury vehicles, lavish vacations, fine jewelry, designer accessories and household bills, authorities said.
Three Women Face Serious Felony Charges
Grasso was charged with first-degree grand theft of $100,000 or more, conducting an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, organized fraud involving $50,000 or more, and money laundering involving $100,000 or more. Harrs and Mejia each face first-degree grand theft, racketeering and organized-fraud charges, as detailed by Treasure Coast Newspapers.
The case is not the first legal fight connected to the alleged losses. A civil lawsuit filed by Southern Truss in 2025 identified Grasso as the controller overseeing accounting operations, Mejia as a bookkeeper and Harrs as a receptionist or assistant, and alleged that the three used company accounts and credit cards for personal expenses.
That civil filing also alleged that Grasso embezzled more than $4 million and spent more than $1 million on jewelry and luxury goods. The company reportedly learned of the alleged misconduct in 2025 and fired the three women, according to the newspaper’s review of court records.
Investigation Remains Active In St. Lucie County
All three women are accused, not convicted, and the criminal case is still developing. Detectives are continuing to analyze financial records, follow additional leads and determine whether further charges or arrests may be appropriate, according to West Orlando News.
The alleged seven-year loss puts the case among the more significant recent white-collar investigations publicly announced in the Treasure Coast. For now, authorities have not announced how much money, if any, has been recovered.
