EMBEZZLEMENT Michael Barnes of Lakeland, Fla., was sentenced to 12 years in prison for allegedly stealing more than $20,000 from the eye center where he worked.

An office manager who stole more than $20,000 from a Florida eye surgery center was sentenced last Friday to 12 years in prison.

Michael Barnes, 49, of Lakeland, Fla., stole the money while working as the business manager of the Center for Retina and Macular Disease, authorities say. He was accused of giving himself unauthorized salary raises and bonuses as well as charging personal expenses and vacations to the business's credit card, according to published reports.

Mr. Barnes was originally accused of stealing more than $200,000 from the practice, though a jury found him guilty in October 2015 of stealing a lesser amount — more than $20,000 but less than $100,000. He was also found guilty on 2 counts of money laundering, and was sentenced last week to 12 years in prison and 13 years probation.

Mr. Barnes was hired as a business manager for the eye center in 2006, and by 2008 he had an annual salary of $120,000, according to reports. In 2012, he was arrested and accused of giving himself unauthorized bonuses and raises that totaled more than $90,000.

Mr. Barnes also allegedly charged personal expenses to the center's account in order to fund family trips to Jamaica, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Nebraska, Georgia, New York, Missouri, Colorado, California, Utah and Illinois. He also was accused of using the business's credit cards to pay for uniforms for his son's baseball team, as well as to buy gift cards to various stores such as Wal-Mart and gas stations.

David Misch, MD, a founding partner of The Center for Retina and Macular Disease, did not return calls from Outpatient Surgery seeking comment. The center has locations in Winter Haven, Lakeland and Haines City, Fla.

Kendal Gapinski