Standpoint, Idaho-based Bonner General Health's former CFO is charged with grand theft for allegedly embezzling approximately $225,000 from the hospital, according to a Bonner County Daily Bee report.
The hospital's former CFO, Norilina Harvel, allegedly committed the thefts from 2012 to 2014. Ms. Harvel was employed at BGH for 15 years —10 of which she served as CFO — before leaving the hospital in June 2014 to take a CFO position at Montrose (Colo.) Memorial Hospital, according to the report.
Financial discrepancies began to emerge within a month of Ms. Harvel's departure from BGH. She allegedly made unauthorized credit card charges and stole various sums of money that were small enough to avoid detection, hospital officials told the Bonner County Daily Bee. In addition, Ms. Harvel also allegedly took out a lease on a piece of medical equipment that the hospital never acquired and collected the proceeds.
Along with the criminal prosecution, BGH officials are considering filing a civil lawsuit against Ms. Harvel.
"This is very serious because she was the CFO and this is basically a charitable institution," said Ford Elsaesser, chairman of BGH's board of directors. "She was basically stealing from an institution that has one purpose, which is to provide healthcare to the community."
A warrant has been issued for Ms. Harvel's arrest, according to the report.
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