A former supply chain coordinator at Mercy Hospital Springfield (Mo.) allegedly stole $54,875 in medical supplies from the hospital and sold it to a company in Florida, according to the Springfield News-Leader.
According to court records, 65-year-old Chuck Mullins is charged with two felonies for allegedly stealing medical supplies, such as X-ray machines and microscopes, which were intended to be donated to charity.
Mercy donates surplus medical supplies or equipment that is no longer used to vetted organizations. "Mercy recognizes these items can still be put to good use in other places, and therefore donates the equipment so it can continue to help others," a hospital spokesperson told the Springfield News-Leader.
As the hospital's supply chain coordinator, Mr. Mullins was responsible for overseeing the donation of the medical equipment. However, instead of making the donation, Mr. Mullins allegedly sold the items to a company in Florida and kept the proceeds for himself.
Officials at the Florida company became suspicious in April 2017 when they realized they had been making payments to a personal bank account. They immediately alerted Mercy, and the hospital contacted the police.
In an interview with the Springfield News-Leader, Mr. Mullins denied most of the allegations against him. He said Mercy asked him to get rid of some old equipment. However, he said he only received $790, not the more than $50,000 Mercy claims he pocketed. Mr. Mullins said he wrote a check to Mercy for $790, but the hospital never cashed it.
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