BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office says 55-year-old Bonnie Bova of Lancaster has been sentenced to prison for stealing over $1.8 million from an Amherst medical practice.
According to the DA, between September 2017 and October 2024, Bova stole $1,830,779.56 while working as a bookkeeper for a medical practice in the Town of Amherst. Bova issued checks from the practice to herself and concealed it by modifying records. She used the stolen money to pay her credit card bills and other personal expenses.
In October 2024, the DA says she was fired from her job after a company employee conducted an audit, which uncovered the theft. Bova didn't disclose the stolen money as additional income on her income taxes between 2019 and 2023.
In July 2025, she pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree grand larceny and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. On Wednesday, she was sentenced to an indeterminate 2 to 8 years in prison.
WATCH: Former bookkeeper pleads guilty to stealing over $1.8M from Amherst medical practice
As a condition of the plea, Bova signed a Confession of Judgement to pay full restitution to the victim. The defense attorney submitted a check to pay back $600,000, and Bova also signed a Confession of Judgment to pay an additional $97,561 in restitution to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. On Wednesday, she paid an additional $3,500 in restitution.
"This case is the highest theft amount prosecuted by this office in recent years," said Erie County DA Mike Keane. "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. I hope that the victims can recover from this significant loss."
