BECKLEY —
The former chief financial officer of the Tug River Health Care Association was sentenced to two years in prison for stealing $389,600 from the association.
Judy Hall, 50, used a computer and check creation software, beginning in 2008, to print checks for herself. According to a release from R. Booth Goodwin II, United States Attorney, Southern District of West Virginia, Hall also forged the signatures of two Tug River executives. The money was transferred to a bank account in Hall’s name located in Abingdon, Va.
She could have received up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge.
In a federal indictment issued in June, Hall was also accused of intercepting and altering statements from the agency’s bank. Hall altered the bank statements by replacing the created checks with copies of legitimate checks then photocopied the alteration so as not to be detected. According to the indictment, Hall created about 66 checks from April 2008 to July 2009.
The Tug River Health Care Association provides medical services to underprivileged patients in McDowell and Wyoming counties and receives federal funds to operate.
“Many people depend on medical services provided by community clinics such as Tug River,” Goodwin said. “Criminals like Ms. Hall who choose to steal from our doctors and clinics, risk the health of everyone in this district and raise the cost of medical services for all of us. Those who jeopardize our health care system and the many small businesses, like Tug River, that deliver essential health care services will be caught and held accountable.”
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the proceedings. Berger ordered that Hall pay $389,000 in restitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. She was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes.
According to the release, Hall was prosecuted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Initiative to Combat Theft of Government Benefits. The initiative is designed “to protect public funds and to prosecute those who steal benefits from public programs or agencies.” Some of the protected agencies include Railroad Retirement Board, U.S. Veterans Administration, Social Security Administration, and the Department of Labor.
— E-mail: tkuykendall@register-herald.com
Article source: http://www.register-herald.com/local/x756275089/Former-health-clinic-worker-sentenced-to-federal-prison
Category: Prison Time