Kimberly Hamilton pleaded guilty to one count of Felony Theft 

Baltimore, Md. (May 21, 2026) – Today, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office announced that Defendant Kimberly Hamilton was convicted of Felony Theft after stealing $275,000 from her employer, Copper Kitchen, from 2021 to 2023. The Defendant faces 8 years, suspending all but five years, of incarceration at sentencing on August 4, 2026. Economic Crimes Assistant State’s Attorney Ronald Neumann prosecuted this case with assistance from Paralegal Janae Pearson. 

“Financial crimes like this are not victimless offenses. When someone abuses a position of trust to steal from a business, the damage extends far beyond dollars and cents; it threatens livelihoods, undermines stability, and betrays the confidence that employers place in their employees,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “During a time when many businesses were already struggling with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, this defendant repeatedly chose to enrich herself at her employer’s expense, despite already being on probation for a prior theft conviction. This guilty plea ensures accountability for that conduct and sends a clear message that those who engage in fraud and theft will be held responsible. I want to commend Assistant State’s Attorney Ronald Neumann and Paralegal Janae Pearson for their diligent and thorough work in investigating this complex case and helping deliver justice.”

Defendant Kimberly Hamilton was hired as a bookkeeper to work remotely for Copper Kitchen, Inc., a catering and food service business in Baltimore that employs over 200 people. The Defendant's duties included reviewing and paying bills from vendors who supplied the Copper Kitchen with food, liquor, flowers, paper goods, and other party products. From July 2, 2021, to January 28, 2023, the Defendant used her position with Copper Kitchen to establish a Copper Kitchen account with Melio, a payment processor.

The Defendant directed Melio to make payments that were set up to appear to be routine vendor payments and to deposit them, mostly via ACH, into an account with Wells Fargo. Copper Kitchen made payroll payments to the Defendant by direct deposit to the account at Wells Fargo. In total, the Defendant directed Melio to make 159 payments totaling $276,564.54 to her account from Copper Kitchen’s bank account.

In addition, the Defendant directed ADP to make a duplicate payroll deposit of $1,620 to her account. At no point did the Defendant have the authority from Copper Kitchen to divert these funds to her own account, and she has not returned any of the funds she stole.