BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — A scheduler at Boca Raton Regional Hospital has been indicted by a Federal grand jury for allegedly stealing the private information of patients — then using that information to file fraudulent tax returns in an attempt to receive refunds.
There is no immediate response from the hospital.
The FBI tonight told BocaNewsNow.com:
Defendant Shalamar Major was indicted on one count of conspiracy to file false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 286, and one count of unlawful disclosure of HIPAA-protected medical information, in violation of 42 U.S.C. 1320d-6(a)(3) and (b)(3). Co-defendant Tanisha Wright was indicted on one count of access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1029; one count of theft of mail, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1708; one count of conspiracy to file false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 286; three counts of identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1028; three counts of theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 641; and three counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1028A.
According to the indictment, defendant Major was a scheduler at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Boca Raton, Florida. As a scheduler, Major had access to the personal identification information of Boca Raton Regional Hospital patients, including their names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. In exchange for the promise of future payments, Major provided Wright with stolen personal identifying information of numerous Boca Raton Regional Hospital patients. After receiving the stolen identification information, Wright used the information to electronically file federal income tax returns in the victims’ names and to claim tax refunds to which she was not entitled. Wright directed the IRS to direct deposit the refunds onto pre-paid reloadable debit cards that were already in her possession. Thereafter, Wright would use the debit cards to make withdrawals at local ATMs or would use the debit cards to make purchases at various local businesses. Once Wright cashed out the fraudulently obtained refund debit cards, she split the proceeds with Major. In total, 57 returns were identified as having been fraudulently filed, seeking $306,720 in federal tax refunds.
