A former official at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis was indicted on six counts of mail fraud Sept. 6, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Sept. 10.
Here are four things to know:
1. The Justice Department alleged Barbara Skudrzyk, the former business director for the division of medical education at the medical school, defrauded the institution of approximately $300,000 from May 2010 through July 31, 2018.
2. Ms. Skudrzyk allegedly hired contractors and other service providers to perform personal services for her benefit at her home. She would then create, submit and approve false invoices and W-9 tax forms stating the providers had performed work for the medical school when they had not, and pay them using the institution's funds, according to the Justice Department.
3. The Justice Department claimed Ms. Skudrzyk would also purchase Visa gift cards from the university bookstore, forge an employee's signature to charge the purchases to the school, and use the gift cards for personal purchases. She also allegedly falsified and charged invoices from two different travel companies and billed the school for personal vacations for her and her family to Krakow, Poland; Munich; Bangkok; Guatemala City; and Toronto.
4. If convicted, Ms. Skudrzyk faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the six counts against her and a $250,000 fine. She would also be forced to pay restitution to Washington University.