NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Rohnert Park man has been sentenced to a nine-year prison term for embezzling more than $1 million from his former employer.

John C. Sheehan, 43, received the sentence of nine years and four months for embezzling from Bibbero Systems Inc. of Petaluma, according to Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch.

“We’re pleased that this thief has been held accountable and will serve a just sentence in prison,” sad Ravitch. “We’re also mindful that no sentence can repair the violation of trust and lasting impact to this business, its owners and those community members who lost their jobs while Sheehan secretly bilked these funds to simply maintain his lavish lifestyle.”

Sheehan embezzled approximately $1,189,509 from Bibbero by creating a fake business vendor and submitting false invoices to the company, Ravitch said.

Those invoices were paid and deposited into a false business account linked to his personal account. He then transferred the funds from the false business account into his personal account, according to the investigation.

Ravitch said Sheehan spent thousands of dollars remodeling his Rohnert Park home, buying expensive cars, eating out and taking expensive vacations to Las Vegas and the Cayman Islands.

At the sentencing hearing, numerous employees of Bibbero Systems addressed the court and confronted their former colleague recounting the financial and emotional injuries he caused them and the company, according to Ravitch’s office.

Sheehan made a short statement of apology to the court, following the emotional statements of victim impact, Ravitch reported.

As part of his sentence, Ravitch said Sheehan was ordered to repay $1,189,509 to Bibbero Systems Inc. and to surrender one Mercedes Benz, as well as some cash he had tried to hide with a tenant and friend, and some televisions and computer equipment, which he had used embezzled funds to purchase.

Deputy District Attorney Amy Ariyoshi handled the prosecution. Petaluma Police Detective Paul Gilman was the lead investigator. District Attorney Investigator LaRae Archibald assisted in the investigation and prosecution of the case, according to Ravitch.

Ravitch said Det. Gilman and DA Investigator Archibald worked successfully to track down and recover the $55,000 in remaining stolen funds once the scheme was uncovered.