Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Bonnie Bova, 54, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty this morning before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth F. Case to one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree (Class “B” felony) and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree (Class “E” felony). The defendant entered a guilty plea to the highest sustainable charges.
Between September 22, 2017, and October 18, 2024, the defendant stole $1,830,779.56 while working as a bookkeeper for a medical practice in the Town of Amherst. Over the course of seven years, the defendant issued checks from the medical practice to herself. She concealed the theft by modifying computer records to indicate that the payments were made to a legitimate vendor. The defendant used the stolen money to pay her credit card bills and other personal expenses.
In October 2024, the defendant was fired from her position after a company employee noticed an issue with a check and conducted an internal audit, which uncovered the theft.
Bova also pleaded guilty for failure to disclose the stolen money as additional income on her personal income taxes between 2019 and 2023.
As a condition of the plea, Bova signed a Confession of Judgment to pay full restitution to the victim. Today, her defense attorney submitted a check to pay back $600,000. Bova also signed a Confession of Judgment to pay an additional $97,561 in restitution to the New Yok State Department of Taxation and Finance.
Bova faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when she is sentenced on Monday, January 5, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Our prosecutor requested that the defendant be remanded pending sentence. She was released on her own recognizance.
“This case is the highest theft amount prosecuted by this office in recent years. The defendant funneled money from her employer into her own bank account, stealing more than $1.8 million dollars to fund her out of control spending habits. In addition to paying back a portion of restitution, I am pleased to announce that she pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charge, which carries a mandatory state prison sentence,” said Erie County DA Mike Keane.
DA Keane commends Detective Bret Seifert of Amherst Police Department and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Brian P. Dassero and Jonathan Abrams of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Bureau.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
We appreciate your readership. We like money, too.