BALTIMORE — Jennifer Tinker was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for stealing $1.2 million from two employers — money she spent on Taylor Swift floor seats, luxury vacations, and designer goods while brazenly continuing her theft even after pleading guilty.
The crime spree began at Keller Williams Realty Centre Columbia in Howard County, where Tinker worked as market center administrator for nearly a decade with direct access to business accounts. From January 2020 to November 2023, federal prosecutors say she transferred more than $1 million to her personal bank account, disguising the theft by listing fake recipients on wire transfer paperwork to mimic legitimate real estate transactions.
Within days of each theft, bank records show Tinker went on spending sprees: $167,000 on Amazon purchases, $21,000 on Louis Vuitton products, $13,000 on Balenciaga couture, plus expensive trips to Las Vegas and Disney's Caribbean Beach resort.
When the real estate agency discovered the theft and fired her, Tinker quickly found another job — but didn't mention why she'd been terminated. Instead, she immediately began stealing again.
From May 2024 to January 2025, while awaiting sentencing on federal charges, Tinker embezzled more than $100,000 from her new employer. Court documents show she transferred money to herself in May, then used that exact amount to buy Bonnaroo Music Festival tickets the same day.
Even when FBI agents interviewed her in June 2024, asking if there was anything else she wanted to come clean about, Tinker lied and said no — despite having already begun stealing from her second victim.
In December 2024, Tinker pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges, stating to the federal judge that she had "no access to financials or bank accounts" at her current job. That same day, December 19, she made another wire transfer to herself.
In February 2025, a judge ordered Tinker detained after discovering her continued theft. She pleaded guilty to additional wire fraud charges in June.
The theft devastated Keller Williams' business. One partner spent $400,000 of their personal money to keep the agency running, while managers reported health problems stemming from the stress of fielding complaints from customers and agents whose funds hadvanished.
Tinker was sentenced Monday to 5 years and 10 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. She must repay the full $1.2 million to her victims.
