PORTLAND, Maine — Small businesses are a pillar of Maine's economy. In fact, the state has more than 14,000 of them and they employ a majority of the state's workforce.
But for one small business owner in the state, it was an employee that she says forced her out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. That employee is now facing charges for allegedly stealing that money.
Pamela Anzelc says about half a million dollars was stolen from her Portland dental office over multiple years.
That someone, she says, was her office manager Theresa York of South Portland.
"I have this numbness that comes over me," Anzelc told NEWS CENTER Maine. "How could someone who I had known for 31 years do this?"
But York was more than just an employee.
"We were friends," she said. "We would travel together. We were both pregnant with my only son and her second son when we first met and we bonded over that. It's hard to put it in words. It was such a betrayal. It's really changed me."
Anzelc first noticed something was off back in 2016, when she didn't have enough funds to pay her taxes, but her accountant brushed it off. Fast-forward to 2021 when the IRS froze Anzelc 's bank account and she reached out to York for help.
"I've never heard from her since," said Anzelc.
The IRS was sending her certified notices for years, but she said York was hiding them and shredding them.
"It's just hurtful, it makes me sad," Anzelc explained. "You know, I've cried a million tears."
As York is expected to plead guilty to theft in Cumberland County this month, Anzelc says nothing can pay back the years of friendship lost.
"At this point, I don't believe we were friends," she said. "I thought we were friends. I mean, friends don't do that to each other."
A betrayal – she hopes all small business owners can learn from.
"My instincts told me something was wrong and I didn't trust my instincts. One of the things I do now is trust my instincts."
Under a plea agreement, York is expected to stay out of jail and instead serve three years probation. She has already started to pay back a portion of the money.
York did not return our requests for comment.