Disney Resort Valet Arrested After Alleged Check Fraud at Animal Kingdom Lodge
A third-party valet working at Disney World's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village, was arrested on Dec. 3 after authorities say he stole a guest's checkbook and cashed several fraudulent checks totaling $1,248.
Orange County Sheriff's deputies took 21-year-old Mason Henrichsen into custody after a visitor from Ohio reported bank alerts showing four checks written from her account and that her checkbook was missing from her parked vehicle. The checks ranged up to $670, for a combined total of $1,248, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
Investigators used the Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID) to locate Henrichsen. Authorities say the signature on his driver's license matched the signatures on the checks. The valet manager confirmed Henrichsen worked for the third-party valet company and was scheduled to arrive for a shift later that evening.
Alleged admission: Officer Richard Schorr wrote in the affidavit that Henrichsen told investigators he 'found a check on the parking lot ground and decided to write it out to himself.' The affidavit also reports he admitted depositing one of the checks at a Chase ATM near Disney Springs.
When Henrichsen arrived for work, deputies read him his Miranda rights and placed him under arrest. The case has been forwarded to the Orange County Sheriff's Economic Crimes Unit for further investigation. Court records show Henrichsen faces two felony counts: grand theft by fraud and forgery of a check. An initial hearing was scheduled for Dec. 4.
A Disney spokesperson told local outlet News 6 that the valet involved was not a Disney employee but worked for a third-party vendor. Towne Park, the company that operates valet services at the resort, issued a statement saying it is cooperating with authorities, launched an internal investigation, and that the employee is no longer with the company.
Legal note: These are allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
