The former chief operating officer of Jackson Health System's fundraising arm has pleaded guilty to her involvement in multimillion embezzlement scheme.
Charmaine Gatlin pleaded guilty to defrauding the Jackson Health Foundation out of at least $4.3 million between 2014 and 2024, according to U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ said Gatlin, 52, admitted to submitting fake invoices, steering funds to herself and relatives, and accepting kickbacks from vendors.
Gatlin served as the COO of the Jackson Health Foundation for 10 years and was fired in November.
According to the DOJ, Gatlin approved about $2 million in invoices from a Georgia-based audiovisual company for services that were never provided. In return, the vendor paid Gatlin $1 million in kickbacks, which she used in part to pay her personal credit card bill.
Prosecutors said Gatlin coached the vendor on how to falsify invoices, including billing for audiovisual services that had already been donated to the foundation.
The vendor, Yergan Jones, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the scheme, the DOJ said.
Gatlin also directed a merchandise vendor to purchase luxury items for her from Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Apple in exchange for keeping the foundation’s business, the DOJ said.
Prosecutors said Gatlin also misused restricted donations, such as approving $55,101 in foundation funds to purchase 10,000 "first aid kits" falsely labeled as "trauma burn giveaways" from the vendor.
In another instance, prosecutors said, Gatlin submitted a false invoice to cover the purchase of a golf cart, which she had delivered to her Weston home in September 2023.
Gatlin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 25.
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