Las Vegas medical clinic manager pleads guilty to embezzling $1.3 million. Guess what — gambling problem

by August 24, 2016September 1, 2017

The administrator of two Las Vegas surgery centers pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to embezzling $1.3 million from physicians who invested in the clinics.

Robert Barnes, 50, who ran the Surgery Centers of Southern Nevada and other entities for the physicians, pleaded guilty to one felony count of embezzlement in connection with health care.

He remains free and has agreed to pay restitution to the clinics. His sentencing is Sept. 1.

According to his plea agreement, Barnes gambled away $515,000 in casino cash advances he obtained with company credit cards. He also bought a $38,000 diamond ring with company credit cards and spent another $45,000 on personal travel and entertainment.

The clinics, one on West Twain Avenue and another on Burnham Avenue, began to struggle financially in 2010, the indictment states.

“Vendor payments, including rent, were long overdue and physician-investors ceased receiving distributions on their investments, despite the fact that SCSN continued to receive reimbursements from the various public and private insurance companies whose beneficiaries had procedures there,” according to the indictment.

Eventually, the clinics filed for bankruptcy, the indictment states.

Barnes has agreed to provide the government with an accurate account of his finances and forfeit a long list of women’s jewelry, including rings, watches, bracelets and earrings he admitted buying with embezzled money.

Do you have questions about embezzlement? Give Prosperident a call at 888-398-2327 or send an email to requests@dentalembezzlement.com

Content retrieved from: http://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/las-vegas-clinic-operator-pleads-guilty-embezzling-13-million

SEC Charges Indianapolis Investment Advisor, Veros Partners, With Fraud. Veros had hundreds of dental clients

by August 16, 2016June 15, 2017

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced charges against an Indianapolis investment adviser, its president, two associates and several affiliated companies for engaging in two fraudulent farm loan offerings, in which they made Ponzi scheme payments to investors in other offerings and paid themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars in undisclosed fees. The SEC obtained a temporary restraining order and emergency asset freeze to halt the scheme.

According to the SEC Complaint, Defendants Veros Partners, Inc. and Matthew D. Haab, its president, along with Jeffrey Risinger and Tobin Senefeld have fraudulently raised at least $15 million from at least 80 investors. The Complaint alleges that Veros and Haab raised those funds, mostly from Veros’ own clients, in two separate farm loan offerings. The investors in the 2013 and 2014 Offerings were informed, orally and in writing by Haab, and in the written offering documents, that investor funds would be used to make short term operating loans to farmers for the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons.

Contrary to these representations, the Complaint alleges that although some investor money was loaned to the farms, significant portions of the loan proceeds were not used for current farming operations but were used to cover the farms’ prior, unpaid debt. In addition, Haab, Risinger, and Senefeld allegedly used money from the 2013 and 2014 Offerings to make at least $7 million in payments to investors in other offerings and to pay themselves over $800,000 in undisclosed “success” and “interest rate spread” fees. According to the Complaint, they also repeatedly misled investors about the risks, nature, and performance of the investments and underlying farm loans. To date, less than $5 million of the approximately $12 million in loans owed in connection with the 2014 Offering have been repaid. All but one of the loans in the 2014 Offering are past due and, according to the Defendants, the loans, most of which included unpaid balances from prior years, will not be repaid in the near future. In addition, the approximately $7 million still owed on those loans ($3 million of which is the subject of a recently filed collection action) is not sufficient to repay the 2014 investors, who are owed a total of approximately $9 million in principal and interest, and are due to be repaid on April 30, 2015.

The farm loan defaults and looming investment shortfall were not disclosed to the investors in the 2014 Offering. Defendants Haab, Risinger, and Senefeld have advised the Commission that their only recourse to repay the investors is by fees they expect to receive from other existing or planned offerings, including at least two 2015 farm loan offerings to Veros clients through which they are seeking to raise almost $25 million. The SEC brought this action to enjoin Defendants from raising additional investor funds, to prevent them from ensnaring more victims in their scheme, and to prevent the further dissipation of investor assets. The SEC also seeks the disgorgement of Defendants’ ill-gotten gains, as well as prejudgment interest and significant civil penalties.

Do you have questions about embezzlement? Give Prosperident a call at 888-398-2327 or send an email to requests@dentalembezzlement.com

Content retrieved from: http://www.johnschapman.com/investment-fraud/veros-partners-charged-with-fraud/

See SEC complaint here — https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2015/comp23246.pdf

California’s Kristina Marie Corral arrested for embezzling from dentist

by July 20, 2016December 16, 2018

Do you have questions about embezzlement? Give Prosperident a call at 888-398-2327 or send an email to requests@dentalembezzlement.com

(The information was current as of: 09/06/2016 10:31 PST)

Booking No.: 4386730       Last Name: CORRAL       First Name: KRISTINA       Middle Name: MARIE

Sex: F       Race: W       Date Of Birth: 04/22/1970       Age: 45       Hair: BLN       Eyes: BLU       Height: 506       Weight: 120

Charge Level:

ARREST

Arrest Date: 07/16/2015       Arrest Time: 1045       Arrest Agency: 1956       Agency Description: REDONDO BEACH PD

Date Booked: 07/16/2015       Time Booked: 1134       Booking Location: 1956       Location Description: PD – REDONDO BEACH

BAIL

Total Bail Amount: 0       Total Hold Bail Amount: 0.00       Grand Total: 0.00

HOUSING LOCATION

Housing Location: –

Permanent Housing Assigned Date: 07/19/2016       Assigned Time: 1245       Visitor Status: N

Facility:
Address:       City:

Public Visiting Guidelines

For County facility visiting hours, Please call (213) 473-6080 at Inmate Information Center.

COURT

Next Court Code: S134       Next Court Date: 01/29/2016       Next Court Time: 0600       Next Court Case: BA43783901

Court Name: L A SUPERIOR COURT DEPT 134
Court Address: 210 W. TEMPLE STREET       Court City: LOS ANGELESUPT

RELEASE

Actual Release Date: 07/20/2016       Release Time: 0509

CASE INFORMATION

BCA_CASE_NO=BA********&COURT_NAME=L%20A%20SUPERIOR%20COURT%20DEPT%20134%20%20%20&COURT_ADDRESS=210%20W.%20TEMPLE%20STREET%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&COURT_CITY=LOS%20ANGELESUPT&BCA_BAIL_AMO1=0&BCA_TOT_FINE1=%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20.00&BCA_NEXT_COURT_DATE_1=2016-01-29%2000:00:00.0&BCA_DATE_OF_SENTENCE=2016-01-29%2000:00:00.0&BCH_LENGTH_OF_SENTENCE=851&BCA_DISP_CODE=EXP%20&DISP_DESCRIPTION=EXPIRATION”>BA********

Case No. Court Name Court Address Court City Bail Amt. Fine Amt. Court Date Sent. Date Sent. Day(s) Disp Code

L A SUPERIOR COURT DEPT 134 210 W. TEMPLE STREET LOS ANGELESUPT 0 .00 01/29/2016 01/29/2016 851 EXP

Click on specific Case No. for detailed information.

And where Did The Money Go?

This is an article about parents of soccer players that interview Kristie. Check out the final paragraph:

In a scene repeated all over the country, Kathy Watts loads daughters Brinley and Bryce into the family vehicle and heads down the Pennsylvania Turnpike en route to soccer training. Across the country, Kristina Corral picks up her son Cruz and a teammate and heads down Interstate 405, also to training.

More than an hour later each will still be driving.

As soccer families continue to seek the best opportunities for their children, families like the Wattses and Corrals are increasingly willing to literally go the extra miles. It is a lifestyle that may seem like too much, even to others already in the all-consuming fire that is elite youth soccer, but Kathy and Kristina have no doubts they are doing the right thing.

“We started here in Harrisburg (with a local club),” Kathy Watts explains. “But we wanted to put our kids in the best situation to succeed and be challenged on a daily basis. That’s why we looked for a team like that.”

Kristina Corral echoes a similar sentiment.

“People ask me ‘Are you crazy? Why don’t you play for a local team?’” she said. “But this was a great opportunity and by now I don’t think it even phases him.”

The Watts’ oldest daughter Brinley plays for a top-notch U16 team, Penn Strikers, whose training and home games are at Eastern University in the Philadelphia suburb of St Davids. Bryce plays for U13 standouts Spirit United in Downingtown. Both locations are more than 70 miles away from the family home in suburban Harrisburg.

**** Corral and his ride-sharing teammate Thomas Hutchings play for the highly-regarded West Coast FC U14 team, which trains and plays home games in San Juan Capistrano, well down the 5 freeway in Orange County. They live however, much closer to Los Angeles in Redondo Beach, about 60 miles away (and when it comes to traffic in Southern California, the territory is often worse than the distance).

But there both of the families go, at least 3 and often 5 times a week.

Kathy Watts said that while sitting in a car for 6 or 7 hours at a time for 3 or more times a week isn’t necessarily her first choice for leisure time, the value of the whole thing to her family is unquestionable.

“What I do get is quality time with my kids,” Kathy, who has put 60,000 miles on a vehicle in less than two years, said. “As they get older, there is a lot of time on the computer, texting or doing their own thing. “Because of this I get some very special time with the girls. We share a lot of laughs, a lot of tears and some motivational conversations.

“We all work hard,” she continued. But Randy (her husband) decided we would do anything we could for the kids. There are sacrifices, but that’s why you have children; to give them the best opportunities you can provide.”

Like Kathy Watts, Kristina Corral works full time to go along with her gargantuan chauffeur responsibilities. In their case, the Hutchings drop Thomas off at her place of business, she then swings by her home to pick up **** and then down the freeway they go.

Nightmare stories about the commute are fewer than you might think.

“There have been maybe three times we couldn’t make it, where there was a big accident or whatever,” she said. “The coach has been cool about it. Even if we were going to be 40 minutes late he said ‘don’t make yourself

Kristina Corral also noted having some meaningful 1v1 conversations with her son, who is a darting little winger with a ton of creativity and explosiveness on the ball.

Kristina Corral, who has become a complete soccer junkie to go with her career, parent and chauffeur portfolio, added that homework in the car is also a common activity for Cruz. She did note that the commute to practice and games pales in comparison to a trip the two of them are taking in June, when they will attend the World Cup in South Africa together.

Content retrieved from: http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/penn-and-socal-families-log-major-miles_aid14448

Probably the Biggest Ever — Guilty Plea in $1.9 Million Washington Embezzlement

by June 14, 2016August 4, 2017

fisher — The victims — Drs. Fisher and Jones

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A woman who worked as a dental office bookkeeper and her husband have pleaded guilty to swiping about $1.9 million, one of the biggest and most complex embezzlement cases in the state capital.

In a plea agreement, Thurston County prosecutors said Thursday they would recommend a 10-year prison term for Lori L. Doughty, 39, formerly employed by Fisher Jones Family Dentistry in Olympia, and a year and five months for her husband, Michael G. Doughty, 46, both of Lacey.

Both were allowed to remain free after entering their pleas to multiple felony counts Thursday in Superior Court pending sentencing on May 11.

“I believe we made a statement that embezzlement will not be tolerated in Thurston County,” Deputy Prosecutor Joseph Wheeler said. The dental firm has recovered about $80,000 and the Doughtys will likely be ordered to make restitution after they get out of prison, but lawyers said it was likely that much of the uninsured loss would be recovered.

Co-owner James M. Jones said the business had managed to stay afloat, but he and his partner have had to set back their retirement plans by about a decade. “We feel like we have a great future, and now we can move on,” Jones said.

In documents filed in court, prosecutors wrote that the Doughtys maintained a lavish lifestyle with a scheme so tangled that a forensics examiner had to be hired to trace the funds and determine how much was taken.

Investigators wrote that Lori Doughty forged company checks to pay off credit cards for herself and her husband and laundered some of the money through her husband’s business, First Response Emergency Medical Training Corp. Her parents also used the credit cards but will not be prosecuted, Wheeler said.

After reviewing hundreds of financial records, forensics examiner Ken Wilson wrote that between December 1998 and July 18, 2005, when Lori Doughty was arrested, the couple spent $200,000 on clothes, $100,000 at restaurants, $185,000 on hotels, $74,000 on airline tickets and $32,000 at Starbucks. Her husband, arrested in August, was originally charged with 18 felonies but pleaded guilty to four – unlawful use of criminal proceeds, money laundering and two counts of forgery.

Lori Doughty, initially charged with 19 felonies, pleaded guilty to 15 – first-degree theft and multiple counts of forgery, money laundering and unlawful use of criminal proceeds.

Content retrieved from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2026&dat=20070406&id=_V8zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PfAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2739,786761&hl=en

Ms. Doughty’s husband was also charged with money laundering — see related story here — https://www.prosperident.com/2016/08/26/husband-bookkeeper-accused-laundering/

Embezzles $1.6 million from California dental office — sentenced to 8 years in prison

by June 14, 2016June 19, 2017

Vicki Wafford

Bookkeeper Victoria “Vicki” Lee Wafford embezzled $1.6 million from the Oceanside dental office where she worked, and gambled it away, authorities said.

Wafford, who was 50 when she was arrested, spent most of the money she stole on luxuries, trips and gambling while her employer and co-workers suffered, Deputy District Attorney Anna Winn said.

Wafford’s attorney said his client’s actions were driven by a prescription drug addiction.

Wafford wrote more than 1,000 checks from the dentist’s account to herself and credit card companies from 2001 to 2008, Winn said.

In the accounting books, however, Wafford listed the payees as dental suppliers and other vendors, according to court documents.

The theft came to light in the summer of 2008, when the dentist launched an extensive audit of the books to get personal loans to cover business expenses.

Federal agents seized everything of worth at Wafford’s Temecula home, including a power boat, multiple sets of golf clubs, a Lexus, a newer Toyota Tundra and about $1,000 in coins, Winn said. She was sentenced to eight years in prison.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2012/may/04/region-notable-local-embezzlement-cases/

Our friend Susan Gunn’s case –Michigan woman to 3 years for embezzling nearly $1 million from Midland dentist

by June 14, 2016June 19, 2017

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MIDLAND, MI — A Midland woman apologized Thursday, Oct. 18, for her involvement in an embezzlement scheme that stole nearly $1 million from the Midland dentist office where she worked.

“What I did is inexcusable,” said Stephanie K. Cieslinski, moments before a judge ordered her to serve at least three years in prison for the crime.

Cieslinski pleaded guilty to a charge of embezzlement of more than $100,000, although prosecutors allege the actual amount stolen from Midland Dentist Dr. Michael T. Smith over a period of years was close to $1 million.

She also pleaded guilty in August to a count of embezzling between $50,000 and $100,000.

Her husband, a former Bay County Jail corrections officer, also faces charges in the case.

Cieslinski appeared before Midland County Circuit Judge Jonathan E. Lauderbach Thursday to receive her sentence.

“Instead of going to dental school and taking all the risks a business owner takes to provide a livelihood, you hit fast forward and went to the profit to put money in your pocket,” Lauderbach said. “There is no way to justify it.”

Lauderbach sentenced Cieslinski to a minimum of 36 months to 20 years for the more serious charge and a minimum of 36 months to 15 years for the lesser charge. The sentences run concurrent with Cieslinski given credit for 109 days served.

Cieslinski is to pay $750,000 in restitution and has already paid close to $35,000, said Bay City attorney Robert J. Dunn, who represented Cieslinski.

Dunn said a condition of her plea was that her minimum sentence not exceed 36 months.

Lauderbach said that he would have had “no problem going higher than the 36 month cap.” He said that the court’s objective of getting a defendant out of jail and back to work to repay the victim does not work in this case due to the magnitude of her crime.

“You’re 53 years old, you’re a convicted felon and you are a thief,” Lauderbach told Cieslinski. “You will never repay this, and I will be shocked if Dr. Smith sees a tenth of what he is owed.”

Lauderbach said that when defendents have a reason for theft, such as a drug addiction or a gambling problem, the crime is understandable, although not excusable.

“You just wanted nicer stuff, so you stole money to get it,” Lauderbach said. “I can’t make any sense of that.”

Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, Cieslinski cried when she spoke prior to her sentencing.

“Dr. Smith and his family are good people, and I stole from him,” she said.

“I truly truly am sorry for all the pain I have caused, and after today I hope he can move forward and put this behind him.”

Cieslinski’s husband, Kenneth W. Cieslinski, faces two counts of embezzlement by an agent or trust between $1,000 and $20,000, a five-year felony.

Midland County Prosecutor Michael D. Carpenter previously said the couple stole nearly $1 million from Smith. The funds were stored in a bank account in Kenneth Cieslinski’s name, Carpenter has said.

“While (Cieslinski’s) daughters drove new cars, (Dr. Smith’s) daughters drove clunkers,” Carpenter said. “She took for herself a dental salary, swapped lives with him and took his life for 10 years.”

Kenneth Cieslinski worked as a corrections officer at the Bay County Jail since January 1986 and was a month away from retiring when his boss, Sheriff John E. Miller, arrested him July 2.

Kenneth Cieslinski’s next court date is pending.

______________________

MIDLAND (WWJ/AP) – A Midland man who authorities say helped his wife embezzle from her dentist employer her has been sentenced to pay nearly $1 million in restitution.

Kenneth Cieslinski, 55, appeared recently before a Midland County Circuit Court judge, where he was ordered to repay $998,000 and be on probation for five years.

Cieslinski previously pleaded no contest to receiving and concealing property valued between $1,000 and $20,000, and receiving and concealing property valued between $200 and $1,000. Two counts of embezzlement between $1,000 and $20,000 were dismissed.

Cieslinski declined to speak during the hearing. Defense lawyer Eric E. Proschek said the situation has been “hard for everybody.”

Last year, Cieslinski’s 55-year-old wife Stephanie was ordered to serve at least three years in prison for stealing from the Midland dentist’s office of Dr. Michael Smith, where she was employed for 10 years as an office manager.

Over the course of her employment, prosecutors say Stephanie Cieslinski collected checks written to Smith, used his signature stamp to endorse them and followed by endorsing the checks with her own name. She would then deposit the checks into her husband’s credit union account.

The money, which amounted to nearly $1 million over a decade, was spent on vacations, college tuition, new cars, a Harley-Davidson, a $35,000 wedding, jewelry and more, The Midland Daily News reported.Detectives were investigating the couple for over a year and a half before charges were sought.

Stephanie Cieslinski, who was also ordered to pay $715,000 in restitution, is currently appealing her case, according to court records.

In January, a judge ordered Kenneth Cieslinski to turn over his wife’s property to Smith, including a laptop computer, jewelry and a 2006 Jeep Compass. Smith has also filed a civil suit against the couple. A hearing is set in that case in August.

Family Charged With Embezzling Almost $2 Million From Georgia Dentist

by June 8, 2016June 19, 2017

http://www.wsbradio.com/news/news/bookkeeper-cleaned-dentist-office-out-millions/nX6Sx/

By Jennifer Griffies

A Sandy Springs dentist’s office was busy cleaning teeth while their bookkeeper was cleaning them out of millions.

Sandy Springs Police Captain Steve Rose tells WSB 58-year-old Rosemary D’souza had been the office manager and bookkeeper for TLC Dental for nearly 20 years, but suspicions arose during a casual conversation.

“She mentioned that the family owned a couple of houses in Florida. This kind of raised suspicion with the doctor based on – it’s kind of extravagant possessions with somebody with that particular salary base,” said Rose.

An investigation revealed that between 2009 and 2013, D’souza embezzled two-million-dollars.

“From what we can tell, Rosemary paid herself over this period of time over $800,000, paid her husband over $600,000, and then paid her daughter who is a student, over $83,000,” said Rose.

Rose says because D’souza was a longtime employee, they had complete trust in her.

“They believed them to be honest and it’s the misuse and it’s taking advantage of that trust which allowed that person to just go undetected for so long,” said Rose.

Rosemary D’souza has been charged with numerous offenses including theft by taking and financial card fraud. D’souza’s daughter, 20-year-old Karen and her husband Joseph, have been charged with theft by taking.

Holy Moley — South Carolina embezzles $1.9 million from Irmo medical office

by April 5, 2016September 1, 2017

Editor’s note — as you may know, we normally confine ourselves to investigating dental office embezzlement. However, we do provide reporting on significant embezzlements in medical offices because the methodologies employed have considerable commonality. chandra-padgett A Batesburg woman who admitted to stealing almost $2 million from an Irmo doctor’s office where she worked has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison.

Chandra Padgett, 46, an office manager and bookkeeper for Advanced pain Therapies (APT) in Irmo, was sentenced for her conviction on charges of wire fraud and tax evasion, according to the U.S. District Attorney Bill Nettles.

Prosecutors said Padgett set up a shell company named PSS (Padgett Specialty Scrapbooking Services), which was shared with APT’s primary vendor and allowed her to send APT bogus invoices for payment.

Padgett created checks made payable to her company and deposited them into an account for which she had primary control between June 2008 and December 2010, according to Nettles. Padgett also made payments to her personal credit cards using APT funds and wrote unauthorized checks to family members for personal expenses.

Nettles said Padgett also used her position as bookkeeper and office manager to increase her own salary without her employer’s authorization or knowledge.

According to a forensic accounting performed by APT, Padgett stole approximately $1,941,455.96 from APT, Nettles said.

“Facts presented during the sentencing hearing indicated that Padgett used the stolen money to finance an extravagant wedding and a lifestyle filled with expensive vacations, gifts and even an expensive New York apartment,” Nettles said.

Padgett has been ordered to pay restitution to her employer and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to Nettles.

Do you have questions about embezzlement? Give Prosperident a call at 888-398-2327 or send an email to requests@dentalembezzlement.com

Content retrieved from: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article13889558.html

NY Woman Sentenced in $1.8 Million Embezzlement Case

by April 5, 2016June 19, 2017

Lancaster Woman Sentenced in $1.8 Million Embezzlement Case

Content retrieved from: Lancaster Woman Sentenced in $1.8 Million Embezzlement Case

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Lancaster woman who admitted she stole nearly $2 million from her employer will spend the next four to 12 years in state prison.

Suzanne Glawatz, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty in June to Grand Larceny and Criminal Tax Fraud.

“Ms. Glawatz’s criminal actions have changed my life in immeasurable ways. My plans to retire are completely on hold,” Dr. Marcelle Grassi said Wednesday at Glawatz’s sentencing.

Dr. Grassi trusted Suzanne Glawatz to be her bookkeeper for 16 years. It turns out for the past seven years, Glawatz had been stealing from the doctor who gave her a job

“I am totally aware that I have deceived and betrayed a person who treated me as a friend and a confidante, as well as a trusted employee,” Glawatz read from a prepared statement.

Glawatz plead guilty in June to grand larceny in the first degree and criminal tax fraud.

Not only did she embezzle more than $1.8 million dollars from Dr. Grassi, but also she illegally accepted a $6,900 tax refund from New York State that she didn’t earn.

She has repaid the tax fraud, but only given back less than one-tenth of what she owes Dr. Grassi.

“Her problem is obviously lack of conscience and arrogance and greed,” Grassi said to the judge. “Someone with a stitch of moral fiber could not look at me in the eye every day and do this to me year after year after year.”

Glawatz’s defense attorney, Eric Bloom, tried to explain her actions based on history of depression, and a recent diagnosis of bi polar disorder.

He called the reckless spending a disease.

Still, the judge sentenced her to four to 12 years in state prison, which is one of the highest sentences handed down in embezzlement cases.

“I thought it was pretty much what we expected it to be considering the enormity of the embezzlement,” Bloom said afterward. “It’s truly a tragedy for everyone involved, including the doctor and my client.”

According to the prosecution she stole the money by pocketing cash co-payments and taking loans she falsely claimed to have paid back.

It’s not the biggest embezzlement case Erie County has ever seen, but District Attorney Frank Sedita says it’s up there.

He says embezzlement itself isn’t necessarily on the rise, but the amounts of embezzled funds is, and that overall, white collar crime is up, and violent crime is down.

“It’s stupid to knock off a liquor store or 7-11 nowadays. It’s a lot easier to get somebody’s credit information or bank account information and steal that way,” he said.

Glawatz has paid back about $130,000 so far, and she and her husband have no assets left, according to her attorney.

She continues to pay back Dr. Grassi at a rate of $250 per week, but as Dr. Grassi noted in her statement, at that rate, it would take Glawatz 200 years to pay back everything, making it unlikely the doctor will ever receive full restitution.

Do you have questions about embezzlement? Give Prosperident a call at 888-398-2327 or send an email to requests@dentalembezzlement.com

Former cancer care office manager admits embezzling $1.6 million from Massachusetts practice

by April 5, 2016September 1, 2017

Editor’s note — as you may know, we normally confine ourselves to investigating dental office embezzlement. However, we do provide reporting on significant embezzlements in medical offices because the methodologies employed have considerable commonality.

SPRINGFIELD — The former office manager of a medical practice in Northampton pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to embezzling $1.6 million from the group over five years, and shielding the lion’s share of the theft under purported supplies for cancer care.

Roxanne Tubolino, 55, of Belchertown, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and six counts of tax evasion. She faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, but will more likely be exposed to just over five years behind bars under advisory sentencing guidelines.

Tubolino dabbed at her eyes and admitted to the counts in a small voice. In the courtroom were her mother and Dr. Deborah Smith, the lone oncologist at the four-member Northampton Internal Medicine Associates in Florence.

“I bore the brunt of it,” Smith said after the hearing, referring to the scheme that stretched back seven years. “Most of the theft, she wrote off as supplies and medication for chemotherapy. I guess it was a good place to hide it.”

Smith said patient care did not suffer – only her bottom line did. Federal prosecutors say Tubolino was responsible for keeping the books at the office, and wrote off thousands of dollars each month to “oncology supplies” and other medical expenses. Meanwhile, she was paying off purchases on her Visa Black Card and other credit cards, according to the government.

“She wrote hundreds of checks to pay her personal credit card bills,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow said, detailing the purchases. “Cash advances, clothing stores, restaurants and entertainment venues.”

Prosecutors and Smith said she discovered the discrepancies and confronted Tubolino in 2013.

Tubolino “admitted to another physician … that she had basically been stealing” from the practice, Breslow told U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni.

After the plea hearing, Smith said she is still trying to financially pick up the pieces at the practice. She also has sued Tubolino in Hampshire Superior Court over the embezzlement, and the defendant agreed to pay restitution as part of her plea agreement.

“We’re working at it,” Smith said. “But you know … it’s not cancer.”

Tubolino’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 16.

Do you have questions about embezzlement? Give Prosperident a call at 888-398-2327 or send an email to requests@dentalembezzlement.com

Content retrieved from: Former cancer care office manager admits embezzling $1.6 million from Northampton practice | masslive.com