MEMPHIS, Tenn.– A former healthcare director was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in federal prison for wire fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
According to information presented in court, Melanie Haste, 62, served as the Director of Risk Management at West Tennessee Healthcare and worked at the Jackson-Madison County Hospital from 2012 to 2020. While she worked there, she developed a fraud scheme that allowed her to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization.
The Department of Justice said bank personnel became suspicious when Haste attempted to deposit a $146,000 check made out to the organization into her own account. Bank personnel froze her account and alerted West Tennessee Healthcare.
After the matter was referred to law enforcement, it was discovered that beginning in 2017 Haste stole and attempted to steal more than $355,000 over a three-year period, using the money to pay personal expenses, finance vacations, and give to family members.
Haste pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in January 2022.
Haste’s sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. She has also been ordered to pay $209,181.47 in restitution to the organization.