ABOUT THIS EPISODE
She was trusted completely. She was there every day. And she was stealing — for years. In this deeply personal episode, Virginia orthodontist Dr. David Hughes describes in his own words how his office manager embezzled over $370,000 from his practice, right under his nose.
Dr. Hughes is joined by Prosperident CEO David Harris, senior investigator Wendy Askins, and forensic accountant Amber Weber-Gonzales for a frank and illuminating conversation about how the theft unfolded, how it was discovered, and what the investigation revealed. This is not a hypothetical — it is the real story of a trusted employee who exploited her access and her dentist's trust over an extended period.
Topics covered include:
- How the office manager gained and maintained the trust that made the theft possible
- The specific methods used to steal and hide $370,000 over time
- Warning signs that were present but not recognized
- How the embezzlement was ultimately discovered
- The forensic investigation process and what it uncovered
- The legal outcome and Dr. Hughes's path to recovery
- What Dr. Hughes would do differently — and what he wants other dentists to know
About the Prosperident team: David Harris is CEO and founder of Prosperident; Wendy Askins and Amber Weber-Gonzales are senior members of Prosperident's investigative team, bringing decades of combined experience in dental embezzlement forensics.
If you suspect embezzlement in your dental practice, call Prosperident before taking any action. Visit www.prosperident.com or schedule directly at www.prosperident.com/meetwithdavid.
Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction / Show open 3:24 - How the office manager gained and maintained the trust that made the theft 12:04 - The specific methods used to steal and hide $370,000 over time 20:44 - Warning signs that were present but not recognized 32:00 - How the embezzlement was ultimately discovered 40:00 - The forensic investigation process and what it uncovered 48:00 - The legal outcome and Dr. Hughes's path to recovery 56:00 - What Dr. Hughes would do differently 1:04:04 - Closing / How to contact Prosperident
