Woman arrested after leaving waitress $7500 tip in US

Police say a $7500 tip a woman left on a $80 cafe bill wasn't a case of generosity or charity. Photo / 123RF

Police say a $7500 tip a woman left on a $80 cafe bill wasn't a case of generosity or charity.

The tip was thought to be a heartwarming act for the waitress who was mourning the loss of her dog, however, the customer has been accused of using her boyfriend's credit card to leave the tip as revenge.

Clearwater police say Serina Wolfe was upset her boyfriend wouldn't buy her a plane ticket home to Buffalo, New York.

A police report says the boyfriend placed a hold on his credit card during the argument but later lifted it.

Investigators say Wolfe left the tip at a restaurant in Clearwater's tourist district last week.

Clearwater police say Serina Wolfe was upset her boyfriend wouldn't buy her a plane ticket home to Buffalo, New York. Photo / Police

The boyfriend notified his credit-card company, calling it a fraudulent charge.

Wolfe was later arrested with grand theft, and is currently being held at the Pinellas County Jail on a $3000 bond.

It is not known whether the waitress will be able to keep the $7500 she was tipped, reports, Yahoo News Australia.

The news of the generous tip had initially been broadly reported across the US as a good news story for someone down on their luck before the true story came to light.

According to Wolfe's arrest affidavit, her boyfriend thought she had been drunk or acting vindictively when she made the purchase, WTSP reported.

- additional reporting AP