Trumbull Woman Accused Of Embezzling $78,000 from Dental Practice
Economovich accused of making “hundreds of unauthorized refund transactions.”
Posted Fri, Jun 19, 2026 at 1:40 pm ET
FAIRFIELD, CT — A 29-year-old Trumbull woman is facing larceny and related charges, after Fairfield police said she embezzled more than $78,000 from a Southport dental office where she used to work.
Barbara Economovich was arrested by Fairfield police on June 13 and was charged with the following:
- Burglary in the Third Degree
- Larceny in the First Degree
- Computer Crime in the First Degree
According to the arrest warrant, the initial complaint in the case was filed with police by the owners of Southport Family Dental last October.
The owners told police that the company’s office manager alerted them about “suspicious activity” that had occurred at the business that month when it was closed.
According to the warrant, “three credit card refunds were manually processed for $350.00, $396.50 and $382.39.”
The owners told police that when they reviewed surveillance footage, they saw Economovich, a former employee, enter the building after hours and head toward the office.
Economovich’s employment with the dental practice ended in late-August of last year, a couple of months before when she was spotted re-entering the building.
During an interview with Fairfield police, Economovich told the officer that “she typically goes [to the office] once a week to get her new Invisalign tray, and typically it is after business hours due to her schedule,” the warrant reads.
Economovich told police that she used a key that was hidden in the janitor’s closet to enter the dental office, even though she had not been given permission to use it, according to the warrant.
When asked if she had ever logged into the business’ computer system while at the office, Eonomovich told police that she could not remember if she had, according to the warrant.
One of the owners of the practice told police that Economovich had been given all 21 of her Invisalign trays in April 2025, about six months before she was spotted on surveillance video at the office, the warrant reads.
Subsequent internal reviews of the business’ finances turned up more than $90,000 in discrepancies that began in 2022 and continued into 2025, according to the warrant.
Economovich did not have direct access to the company’s financial systems until 2023, the warrant reads.
“[The co-owner] stated during the time period Economovich worked there the discrepancies were unusually large and that upon closer review she noticed many of the refunds” have been processed to “the same batch of payment cards.”
Fairfield police obtained bank records for the cards, and discovered that they belonged to Economovich, according to the warrant, and more than 300 transactions were processed to them, exceeding $78,000.
According to the warrant, in late-October, Economovich allegedly sent the following text to the owners:
“I have been reflecting on my actions and I can’t believe the extent that I hurt you both and I wish I can go back in time to reverse my actions. It was never okay to go into your place of business without your permission and take from you. I’m so so sorry. Again I am begging you to be willing to accepting me paying you back what is missed.”
In late-April, Fairfield police applied for the arrest warrant for Economovich.
“Search warrants completed on Economovich’s bank accounts revealed a three-year on-going scheme in which she embezzled approximately $78,506.96,” the arrest warrant reads.
In a statement to Patch, Sgt. Jenna Wellington added, “Fairfield Police determined that over a period of more than two years, Economovich conducted hundreds of unauthorized refund transactions that transferred approximately $78,500 from the business to accounts under her control. The investigation also revealed that Economovich unlawfully entered the business after hours and conducted additional unauthorized transactions.”
Mark Sherman, Economovich’s Connecticut criminal defense lawyer, said that while it is premature to comment on case specifics, “this case is very much more of misunderstanding of office policy than one of intentional misconduct and we hope to clear up this confusion during the court process.”
Economovich is free after posting bond bail of $75,000, and her next appearance in Bridgeport Superior Court is scheduled for July 10, 2026
