A former dental office manager accused of stealing $900,000 from a dental practice where she worked in Illinois is now facing U.S. criminal charges, according to multiple news stories published on February 10.
After five U.S. counts of wire fraud were filed against Rebecca Gutierrez, 49, the state charges of theft that were originally filed against her in 2025 were dropped.
While working as an office manager at Hastings and Havlik Family Dentistry in Mattoon, IL, Gutierrez allegedly began transferring money out of the practice’s business checking account to pay off her credit card debt. During her tenure at the practice, from June 2020 to August 2025, Gutierrez transferred money from the business account to cover her credit card debt, according to the stories.
To conceal the approximately $900,000 theft, Gutierrez allegedly altered fake notes on the practice’s books. The U.S. charges originate from Gutierrez allegedly wiring the funds through an out-of-state processing service to pay her private credit card bill, according to the stories.
Once her employer discovered the alleged theft, Gutierrez was terminated from her position.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
