ST. LOUIS – A former assistant general manager of a hotel in Richmond Heights, Missouri, appeared in federal court on Monday to be sentenced for committing financial fraud.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Angelique Patterson, 40, manipulated the hotel’s reservation system from March to October 2023.

Patterson changed the records of customers who paid using cash or credit cards retroactively, to falsely show those customers used the hotel’s loyalty rewards system points for their stay, according to court documents.

She then added her own credit or debit card information into the system and had the customers’ payments refunded to her.

On Oct. 4, 2023, although not on duty, Patterson tried to use the hotel’s desk computer and a coworker’s credentials to fraudulently refund herself more money.

She also used hotel customers’ credit card information from August through September 2021 to make fake charges via the entertainment company she owned, Angel Entertains LLC. Prosecutors said Patterson obtained or attempted to obtain $109,000 in this manner.

Patterson pleaded guilty last September to five counts of wire fraud.

A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Patterson to 39 months in federal prison and ordered her to repay $226,882.