By Michael Copley, Staff Writer
mcopley@powhatantoday.com

A Powhatan woman was convicted August 10 of stealing nearly $77,000 from her former employer.

Diane Michael worked as the office manager at Elam Animal Hospital from June 2004 until November 2008.

Her duties, according to the Commonwealth, included “reconciling daily receipts and depositing funds into one of the hospital’s three bank accounts.” 

Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Beasley said Michael, 41, kept cash receipts rather than deposit the money into the hospital’s bank account. Beasley said Michael also transferred funds from one bank account into another.

“In late 2008, the hospital began to experience cash flow problems and, upon further investigation, they began to suspect Michael was embezzling funds,” the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office wrote in a case summary.

Michael’s bank records revealed the former office manager deposited over $47,000 in cash into her own bank account.

“Individuals simply do not deposit large sums of cash anymore,” Beasley said.

“The vast majority of bank deposits today that are made by individuals are in the form of checks or through direct deposit.”

Michael faces a maximum of 40 years in prison when she is sentenced in October.