Two former managers of a Coral Springs-area moving company were arrested last week after an investigation found more than $2.1 million missing from company accounts and assets over a multiyear period, according to court records and police. The arrests follow a tip to the company’s owners and a months-long internal and law-enforcement inquiry.
Employees accused of funneling goods and funds
Authorities booked Steven Kase, 45, of Parkland, and Karina Dos Santos, 37, of Coral Springs, into the Broward County Jail on felony charges related to alleged theft and fraud tied to their roles at the moving company. Kase was the general manager and Dos Santos was the operations manager, court documents show.
According to the arrest affidavit, the case was prompted in May 2025 when the company’s owners — a mother and daughter who run the business — received an anonymous letter. The writer said they had seen the two employees offloading merchandise at a warehouse in West Palm Beach and that current and former staff had accused the pair of "funneling monies for a long time thru made up vendors and companies."
“Hopefully this is nothing,” the anonymous letter said, according to court records.
Police and private investigators joined the company’s internal review. Their findings allege that between 2022 and mid-2025 the following losses occurred:
- $888,471 in missing inventory
- $570,000 in fraudulent wire transfers
- $369,936 in personal purchases on a company credit card, including items and services such as a cold-plunge tub, landscaping and a Mercedes-Benz maintenance bill
- $285,815 in unauthorized payroll
- $23,150 from the unauthorized sale of two company-owned vans
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Missing inventory | $888,471 |
| Fraudulent wire transfers | $570,000 |
| Personal purchases | $369,936 |
| Unauthorized payroll | $285,815 |
| Sale of vans | $23,150 |
Investigators say many of the missing items and unauthorized purchases were delivered to a separate company, Safebound Moving and Storage. The affidavit states Kase was close with Safebound's owner. Records also showed Safebound had an outstanding bill of more than $94,500 for items ordered in November 2024; Safebound representatives allegedly denied placing or receiving those orders.
Local implications and next steps
The arrests raise questions for Coral Springs-area businesses about internal controls and vendor oversight. Business owners and managers said the case is a reminder of the need for regular audits, transparent vendor documentation and clear separation of duties among staff who handle inventory, payments and payroll.
Company records submitted in the investigation reportedly included missing physical versions of Safebound’s documents and bills, while other records were intact. The affidavit also describes an instance in which an employee asked Kase to tell Safebound to pay for items — a request central to investigators’ review of alleged coordination between the two companies.
As of the latest filings, prosecutors had identified the total alleged loss as more than $2.1 million. Authorities have charged Kase and Dos Santos with a string of felonies; formal criminal counts and upcoming court dates were not detailed in the materials released publicly.
Representatives for the moving company and for Safebound did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The investigation remains active, and law-enforcement officials have not said whether restitution or asset recovery efforts are underway.
For Coral Springs residents and local businesses, the case is a high-profile example of alleged internal fraud affecting a small employer. It underscores the role that employees, customers and anonymous tips can play in exposing suspected wrongdoing — and the importance of thorough recordkeeping for businesses that handle high-value goods and frequent vendor transactions.
Further developments, including court proceedings and any civil actions related to the losses, will be monitored and reported as they become available.
