A 27-year-old Rome woman has been arrested after authorities say she accepted thousands of dollars from multiple customers for wedding flowers and other floral arrangements but failed to provide the services, instead using the money for personal expenses. According to reports, Lauren Taylor Bogardus is accused of taking money from several victims in a series of incidents spanning from 2025 through 2026.
Investigators say the alleged thefts occurred over a period of more than a year and involved multiple victims who paid for floral arrangements and related services that were never provided. The first reported incident occurred in May 2025, when Bogardus allegedly took $553 from a customer. Authorities say she later accepted $2,885 from another victim between Sept. 3 and Oct. 17, 2025. On Oct. 26, 2025, she allegedly received $1,882.71 for wedding flowers and other wedding-related items but failed to purchase the products, instead using the money for personal expenses.
Additional allegations continued into 2026. Investigators say Bogardus took $264 from a woman on Jan. 27, followed by $907.67 from another woman on Feb. 23. On March 16, she allegedly took $1,182.40 from another customer. Authorities also accuse her of taking $497.49 on May 13, 2026, and failing to provide the promised services, and of taking another $785.23 from a woman on June 10, 2026.
In total, investigators say the cases involve more than $8,900 in alleged losses.
Bogardus has been charged with two felony counts of theft by conversion and seven misdemeanor counts of theft by conversion.
