A former coordinator at a dental college in Georgia was indicted for allegedly stealing more than $300,000 from her employer for nearly 10 years to bankroll her opulent lifestyle, including vacations and purchases from Louis Vuitton, according to the indictment.
On April 16, Dawn Gantt, who worked as the dean's office coordinator at the college since 2015, was indicted for racketeering, accused of theft, and making false statements and writings. The 43-year-old was arrested on April 19 and released on bond. If convicted, she faces between five to 20 years in prison.
About nine months after she was hired, Gantt allegedly 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.
These disbursements increased in size and frequency during the approximately nine years she worked there. During her tenure, she was considered a well-regarded employee and even honored by the college for outstanding administrative support services.
In July 2015, Gantt was hired as the dean's office coordinator and was responsible for maintaining the office's discretionary fund account and all associated transaction cards and checks. She reportedly submitted requests to the school's associate dean of business and finance when the account balance was low. When she received the requested checks, she allegedly deposited them.
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, according to the indictment.
She is accused of engaging 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 the dollars to pay for vehicles and more than $10,000 in items from Louis Vuitton, according to court documents.
Gantt was terminated after an internal investigation found financial discrepancies.
