Bookkeeper embezzles $120K from dental practice

A former bookkeeper at a Maine dental practice has pleaded guilty to embezzling $120,000 from her employer, the Kennebec Journal reported.

Celine Davis, 43, worked for Darryl Zeleniak, DDS, at Augusta Orthodontics for 16 years. Her scheme involved accepting cash payments and deleting records of the transactions in the office's bookkeeping system. Dr. Zeleniak was alerted to the fraud by a customer complaint about an incorrect bill.

Davis was sentenced to five years in prison, with all but six months suspended. She will also be on probation for three years after serving her term. She has already returned $47,000 to Dr. Zeleniak but must pay more than $72,500 in additional restitution per a court order, the article noted.