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Accused embezzler waives formal advisement of charges

Greg Massé

Cheryl Dunlap, the woman charged with embezzling more than $250,000 from a local orthodontist while employed there, waived her formal advisement of charges Wednesday. Her next court date was set for Aug. 19 so her attorney, Tom Silverman, has time to read through the “complex and voluminous” documents associated with the case. Dunlap, 46, worked as a bookkeeper for John Traul Orthodontics in Glenwood Springs for 10 years. She is accused of writing 111 bogus company checks to herself totaling $252,087.62 between April 1999 and February 2004, the arrest affidavit said. Traul first discovered money was missing from his business in March when he was notified by his accountant that Dunlap was suspected of cashing an unauthorized check against one of the business accounts.”Traul stated that there were several checks signed by Dunlap, and there were also several checks that had been deposited but were not signed,” the affidavit said. Dunlap also might have used a signature stamp to forge some of the checks, the affidavit said. The affidavit said Dunlap admitted to police that she stole the money and she wanted to “make it right.”Dunlap told officers, “Everyone knows that I’m guilty, I did it and that it is time that I admit to it,” according to the affidavit. Traul’s orthodontics business has offices in Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt and Rifle. If Dunlap is convicted on both charges, she could face 5 to 15 years in prison.Contact Greg Massé: 945-8515, ext. 511gmasse@postindependent.com


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