Former IHOP Employee Accused Of Using Customer’s Credit Card For Troy Hotel Stay, Purchases
- John Eads
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Troy, Mo. — Most people who accidentally leave a credit card behind at a restaurant expect a phone call telling them to come pick it up.
One woman instead found herself paying for a hotel room in Troy she never booked.
Kelis Safara Whitaker, Troy, Missouri
Charges:
• Forgery
• Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Device
• Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Device
Madison Lee Ostrander, Hawk Point, Missouri
Charges:
• Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Device
• Fraudulent Use of a Credit/Debit Device
The victim told police she and her husband ate at an IHOP in Wentzville on June 13 and later realized the credit card used to pay for the meal had been left behind.
Days later, charges began appearing.
One of the largest was a stay at the Luxury Inn & Suites in Troy.
The room had been rented from June 16, 2025 through July 8, 2025 at a cost of more than $2,500.
When officers arrived at the hotel, Whitaker and Ostrander were staying there.
Whitaker had been working at the IHOP the day the card was left behind.
Police say Whitaker admitted finding the card after the customers left, writing down the card information, and later using it.
The card information was allegedly used to pay for the hotel room and additional purchases in Troy, including a stop at Sonic Drive-In on North Lincoln Drive.
What started with a forgotten credit card at a restaurant ultimately ended with felony charges and both women being booked into the Lincoln County Jail.
The charges remain allegations.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
If you have information, corrections, or additional information regarding this case, contact Lincoln CountyWatch at tips@LincolnCountyWatch.com or 636-377-0201.
Lincoln CountyWatch is not law enforcement.
Story written by John Eads.
Sources:
Lincoln County Circuit Court
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