HHS Employee Guilty in $114,494 Theft

Theft reiterates the need for more rigorous checks to ensure fed's funds are being utilized properly.

Using government funds for one’s personal benefit could leave you with a heavy price to pay – as Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employee, Jihan S. Cover, learned the hard way. She was found guilty of stealing approximately $114,494 in government funds, an August 22 HHS press release states.

Background: From 2006 through the present, Cover worked as a purchasing agent with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI), a subdivision of HHS. Court documents show that between June 2009 and December 2010, the accused used NIH/NCI purchase cards assigned to her in more than 250 unauthorized personal transactions, the HHS release indicates.

She tried to hide her actions by submitting various dispute forms to the bank servicing her purchase cards, according to the release.

What lies in store for Cover: The sentencing date has not been announced as yet, but she faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and stands to forfeit $114,494.

More information is at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/August/11-crm-1071.html