Dental Embezzlement Cases Between $500K and $1 Million

Prosperident has documented 30 dental embezzlement cases involving thefts between $500,000 and $1 million. At this scale, embezzlement is rarely a single act of opportunity — it is a sustained scheme that operated for years before discovery, exploiting weaknesses in financial controls that the dentist did not know existed. The cases below are drawn from public records and reflect prosecutions, convictions, and civil judgments reported in news media.

Cases in this range tend to share three features: they involve trusted long-tenured employees, they exploit a specific control gap that no one was monitoring, and they are uncovered by accident rather than by audit. Practice owners reading this list will recognize the pattern. Worried about something similar happening in your own office? A confidential conversation with Prosperident takes thirty minutes. Call 888-398-2327.

• Arkansas' Samantha Stocks indicted for embezzlement of $964,000 — $964,000 (Arkansas)
• Texas Dental Association's pension plan is a victim of embezzlement - Ricky Lynn Richardson sentenced to five years for steal of $960K — $960K (Texas)
• Yvette King of Oregon Ordered to Repay $955K -- fat chance victim will see the money — $955K (Oregon)
• Ballantyne NC dentist Dr. Steven Ghim charged with steal from partner, ordered to repay $864K — $864K (North Carolina)
• Dana Thompson, Walla Walla educator, bookkeeper, 7th Day Adventist, embezzles $823k, sentenced to 18 months in prison — $823k (Washington)
• Bobbi Current and Kelli Flynn accused of steal of $800k from Washington dentist — $800k (Washington)
• Hector Ramos, Head of IT Department Accused of Embezzling $800k from California Non-profit Clinic — $800k (California)
• Friends in Low Places -- Hector Ramos, accused of steal of $800k, has his friend call us — $800k
• Big Money in 1997 -- Wisconsin Manager Paula M. Sullivan Sentenced for $800k Embezzlement — $800k (Wisconsin)
• Shirley Dunn Charged With Steal of $395k from Minnesota Practice; Cites Financial Difficulties. Total Suspected $800k. — $800k (Minnesota)
• Tina Bartlam Sentenced for Steal of $750K in Major Australian Embezzlement — $750K (Australia)
• Manhattan dentist receptionist Annie Vuong stole patient info to buy $700K in Apple gift cards; sentenced to two years in prison — $700K (New York)
• Wisconsin's Joyce Sakach Charged with $680K Steal From Orthodontist — $680K (Wisconsin)
• Run, Arica, Run! Police Search for Office Manager Arica Cameron Accused of Steal of $630k from Dentist — $630k
• Myrtle Beach police arrest DSO employee for alleged $612K theft — $612K (South Carolina)
• Politician Linda Schrenko sentenced for launding $600k federal education funds diverted to campaign through daughter's dental office — $600k
• Illinois' Caren Irsuto Pleads Guilty to Steal of $600k from Practice. Husband Convicted Also. — $600k (Illinois)
• Misrepresentation When Selling Practice Results in $586K Damages Against Dr. Lawrence Smith — $586K
• Denise Hemeon of Newfoundland sentenced for $564K steal from government dental program — $564K (Canada)
• Washington dental office manager Michaelee Roehrs gets 7-year prison term for steal of $560,000 — $560,000 (Washington)
• Illinois Woman Pleads Not Guilty to Embezzlement >$500k — $500k (Illinois)
• Teresa Rae Larson from Minnesota sentenced for steal of almost $500,000 from dental office — $500,000 (Minnesota)
• NY's Cheryl Higgins accused of steal of $500k from dentist; charges subsequently dropped — $500k (New York)
• Oregon Bookkeeper Jodi Lynne Setzer bags nearly $500K, builds swimming pool. Sentenced to three years. — $500K (Oregon)
• Florida's Elizabeth DeLeon convicted of $500k steal from dentist — $500k (Florida)
• Jamal Hyde, dental office employee, fueled $500,000 credit card fraud by information theft — $500,000
• Maine's Carrie Caporino receives 2-year sentence for steal of more than $500,000 from dentist and physician — $500,000 (Maine)
• Colorado's Robin Bernazzani Admits to Steal of $500K — $500K (Colorado)
• Can You Believe it? Two Nuns are Accused of Embezzling $500k From a Church School — $500k
• Theresa York of Maine accused of stealing >$500K from dentist — $500K (Maine)

Related Pages

• Hall of Shame archive (all cases)
• Cases over $1 million
• Cases between $100K and $500K
• Cases between $50K and $100K