A Broken Arrow woman who defrauded more than eight million dollars from Oklahoma State University Medical Center (OSUMC) pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal cour.
Leslie Ann Ameen, 62, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark T. Steele and pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
“Ameen brazenly defrauded a state-funded institution without regard for the impact it might have on the medical needs of the community it serves and its related educational mission,” said U.S. Attorney Clinton Johnson. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office together with our law enforcement partners will continue to hold fraudsters and embezzlers accountable for their criminal conduct.”
“The defendant exploited a healthcare system funded by taxpayer dollars in order to line her own pockets,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Gray. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves by diverting critical healthcare resources from where they are truly needed.”
Ameen admitted that, while employed as a Telecommunications Specialist at OSUMC, she devised and executed a scheme to defraud OSUMC. Specifically, she arranged for OSUMC to purchase electronic devices, including laptops, phones, and tablets from Techsico Enterprises Solutions, LLC, a company that provided telecommunications support services to OSUMC.
Ameen further admitted that she arranged for the devices to be purchased so that she could fraudulently abscond with the devices and sell them for a profit. To accomplish this objective, Ameen caused Techsico to email her invoices for the devices, which she falsely represented to Techsico were being acquired for OSUMC’s business operations.
Ameen then falsified the invoices by, among other things, forging the signature of her direct supervisor at OSUMC. As a result, Ameen caused OSUMC to pay for the devices without the knowledge or permission of her supervisors. Once the devices were acquired, she stole and then sold them to acquaintances and other individuals for a personal profit. In total, her scheme resulted in a loss to OSUMC of approximately $8,293,611.00.
Ameen faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of not more than $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain/loss caused by her actions. Ameen further faces forfeiture of any property constituting, or derived from, or traceable to, the proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, from the fraud, including, but not limited to a money judgment in an amount of at least $8,293,611.00. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A date for sentencing has not been set.
Ameen was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
