CROFTON, Md. — Carolyn Rae Aldridge, 55, of Crofton, faces felony theft charges following two indictments handed down by an Anne Arundel County Grand Jury on June 30, 2025. The charges stem from separate schemes in which Aldridge allegedly stole over $185,000 from a private home improvement company and the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (MAIF), according to Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown. The investigation, led by the Fraud and Corruption Unit of the Attorney General’s Criminal Division, accuses Aldridge of exploiting her positions as an office manager and part-time MAIF associate to deposit unauthorized checks into her personal bank account.
The first indictment alleges that from August 2017 to January 2021, Aldridge stole 96 checks totaling $173,004.43 from a home improvement and general contracting company where she served as office manager. The second indictment claims that between January 2020 and February 2021, Aldridge stole 13 checks worth $12,291.85 from MAIF while working as a part-time contractual associate in its fiscal department. In both cases, Aldridge is accused of depositing the stolen checks into her account without authorization.
“Stealing from an employer—whether a private business or a state-created entity like MAIF—is not just theft, it’s a betrayal of trust that harms coworkers, undermines public confidence, and erodes the integrity of institutions that serve Marylanders,” said Attorney General Brown. “When individuals exploit their positions for personal gain, they will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted. No one is above accountability.”
Through its Fraud and Corruption Unit, the Maryland Attorney General’s office investigated with support from Maryland Insurance Administration Forensic Auditor Suzanne Jones and Investigator William Wagner. Assistant Attorney General Timothy Lake is prosecuting the cases, with assistance from Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. The indictments mark a significant effort to address financial misconduct in both the private and public sectors in Anne Arundel County.
Aldridge’s alleged actions involved exploiting her access to financial instruments in trusted roles. As office manager for the home improvement company, she had oversight of financial operations, which allegedly enabled her to divert checks over a three-and-a-half-year period. Similarly, her part-time role in MAIF’s fiscal department provided access to checks, which she is accused of misappropriating over 13 months. MAIF, a state-created entity, provides insurance to Maryland drivers unable to obtain coverage through private insurers, making the theft a breach of public trust.
The total loss of $185,296.28 across both schemes highlights the scale of the alleged misconduct. The home improvement company, a private business in Anne Arundel County, suffered most losses, with 96 checks diverted over several years. The minor but significant theft from MAIF underscores vulnerabilities in public institutions handling financial transactions. The Fraud and Corruption Unit’s investigation relied on forensic auditing to trace the stolen funds, demonstrating the importance of specialized expertise in uncovering financial crimes.
Attorney General Brown emphasized the broader impact of such thefts, noting that they jeopardize jobs and public services. The prosecution aims to restore accountability and deter similar misconduct. The cases are being heard in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, where Aldridge is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictments follow a pattern of recent financial crime prosecutions in the region. In 2024, the Maryland State Prosecutor charged others in Anne Arundel County with felony theft schemes, including a former legislative aide and a county official. This signaled a robust response to public and private sector fraud. The collaboration between the Attorney General’s office, the Maryland Insurance Administration, and local prosecutors reflects a coordinated effort to address such violations.
Aldridge’s case will proceed through the judicial process, with prosecutors presenting evidence of the alleged thefts. The outcome could set a precedent for handling similar cases involving trusted employees in sensitive financial roles. The public and affected organizations await further developments as the legal proceedings unfold.
