Ex-dental college staffer sentenced for embezzlement

A former coordinator at a dental college in Georgia was sentenced for reportedly stealing more than $300,000 from her employer for nearly 10 years to bankroll her taste for expensive items and vacations, according to multiple reports.

Dawn Gantt, who worked as the dean's office coordinator at Augusta University Dental College of Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years of probation. Her sentencing of probation stood because she repaid $278,000 in restitution to the university on June 27. She had faced between five and 20 years in prison.

Additionally, the 43-year-old must pay a $75,000 fine within 12 months, maintain full-time employment but never in a job of financial trust, and be subject to searches of her home and finances without a warrant, according to reports.

In April 2023, Gantt was indicted for racketeering. She was also accused of theft and making false statements and writings.

Approximately nine months after she was hired to work at the university, Gantt purportedly began making inappropriate disbursements from the dean's office dental practice account, which is funded with payments made by patients and insurance companies for services completed at the school's nonprofit dental clinic. During the approximately nine years she worked there, the disbursements increased in size and frequency.

Though she knew she wasn't authorized to use the account for personal transactions, Gantt reportedly between February 2016 and October 2023 used stolen account funds for personal benefit.

She allegedly engaged in nearly 300 acts of theft totaling more than $305,000. Initially, she reportedly mostly made ATM withdrawals of $300 cash. Soon after, she began paying her bills, including car payments and hospital, credit card bills, with university funds.

Eventually, she used stolen school money to pay for travel expenses, including hotels, rentals, and airfare, and to send direct payments via PayPal. In addition to bills, she used funds to pay for vehicles and more than $10,000 in items from Louis Vuitton.

While working at August University Dental College of Georgia, Gantt was considered a well-regarded employee and even honored by the college for outstanding administrative support services. Gantt was terminated after financial discrepancies were discovered.