Office manager embezzles from Texas physician office

In Texas, a 28-year-old woman has been charged with felony theft after police say she stole nearly $60,000 over several months at the doctor’s office where she was once employed as its office manager.

According to the arrest affidavit, the office manager between May 2010 and Nov. 2011 used a credit card meant for medical practice purchases on personal expenses, racking up about $16,000 in charges, the affidavit said. The abuse of the credit card was discovered in November, and the office manager was immediately fired, the affidavit said.

When a new office manager took over, she discovered the fired office manager siphoned money from the paychecks of a doctor and three employees intended for 401(k) retirement accounts. Those thefts totaled over $40,000. The physician owner repaid the employees’ 401(k) funds out of his own pocket.

My question to you is: How good are your internal controls? I believe there is a lot of embezzling going on within physician practices and it's not getting caught.

About the Author

Reed Tinsley CPA

This article is written by Reed Tinsley, a Houston, TX-based CPA with over 30 years of experience advising physicians and medical practices across Texas and the United States. Reed holds certifications as a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC), and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), specializing exclusively in the healthcare sector. He is a published author, nationally recognized speaker, and trusted advisor to physicians on accounting & tax, practice management, and financial planning. Schedule a Free Consultation.