Dispensary Manager Pleads Guilty to Insane $770K Cash Heist
Former Pacific Outpost employee pleaded guilty to first-degree theft after skimming nearly $770,000 in cash from her bosses. Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash
When The Pacific Outpost cannabis shop opened its doors in Pasco, Washington, in March 2024, the business owners believed they had built a strong foundation with a trusted team. However, behind the scenes, a massive financial bleed began almost immediately.
Ashley N. Avila, 32, a long-time acquaintance trusted by shop owner Genevieve Greeley, took charge as store manager. According to court filings in Franklin County Superior Court, Avila used her position to skim cash directly from daily operations. What started as immediate, steady theft quickly escalated into staggering sums, with monthly missing totals reaching up to $120,000.
How a $500,000 Unpaid Tax Bill Exposed the Embezzlement
The scale of the missing revenue remained hidden until May 2025, when the business owners received a shocking notification, that a massive tax bill had gone unpaid. State regulators gave the owners a strict 21-day ultimatum to settle the tax debt or face immediate license revocation.
An internal financial audit quickly uncovered the truth. Over the span of just 12 months, Avila had pocketed approximately $770,000 in cash revenue.
“When this realization happened it was a very difficult moment. The breach of trust and shock was overwhelming. I felt nauseous, taken advantage of and devastated,” Greeley said, Yahoo News reported.
The financial fallout left the dispensary struggling to cover more than $500,000 in back-tax liabilities. Despite the crushing financial blow, Greeley and her team managed to satisfy regulatory demands and keep The Pacific Outpost operating.
From Guilty Plea to $1.6M Judgment
Avila recently pleaded guilty to first-degree theft, news outlets have reported. Under her criminal sentencing, she served 90 days in jail through electronic home monitoring after posting a $25,000 bond. In an accompanying civil suit, a judge ordered Avila to pay $1.6 million in damages and restitution.
The dramatic downfall serves as a stark reminder of the security risks inherent to retail dispensaries. Until federal banking reform allows operators equal access to traditional financial infrastructure, cannabis businesses must rely on rigorous internal audits, mandatory duty rotation, and real-time cash management to safeguard their bottom line.
Read more from Soft Secrets:
Disclaimer: Content published here is strictly for journalistic and/or educational purposes and should not be taken as legal or professional advice.
S
Stephen Andrews
