$748,564 HOSPITAL THEFT VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN EMBEZZLEMENT SUSPECT A NO-SHOW AT HEARING.Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer VAN NUYS - The former business manager of Valley Presbyterian Hospital Presbyterian Hospital can refer to several places:
Svetlana Bashkinov, 34, of Pacific Palisades Palisades, cliffs along the west bank of the Hudson River, NE N.J. and SE N.Y., extending from N of Jersey City, N.J., to the vicinity of Piermont, N.Y., with a general altitude of from 350 ft to 550 ft (107–168 m). posted $20,000 bail April 9 after being arrested at the hospital but hasn't been seen since and failed to appear in court for arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted Monday, authorities said. A warrant was issued for her arrest. ``And who knows where she is?'' said Deputy District Attorney Bill Ryder. Her attorney, Keith Davidson, did not return phone calls. Bashkinov took over in 2000 as business office director, handling $90 million in annual billings for the Valley's largest community-owned hospital. Authorities say she took funds designated for refund checks and deposited the money in accounts she maintained at several credit unions. ``You had a trusted employee who stole from the company,'' said Van Nuys Detective Dan Moran Moran equitable councillor to King Feredach. [Irish Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 728] See : Justice , the lead investigator. Terry Leggett, chief financial officer for the Van Nuys hospital, said it was the first time in Valley Presbyterian's 44-year history that directors have faced such a problem. ``This is a situation that no one ever wants to find themselves in,'' Leggett said. ``She was the final check and balance in many cases. She decided to violate that trust.'' Bashkinov is charged with grand theft by embezzlement embezzlement, wrongful use, for one's own selfish ends, of the property of another when that property has been legally entrusted to one. Such an act was not larceny at common law because larceny was committed only when property was acquired by a "felonious taking," i. and, if convicted, could face up to five years in prison and substantial fines, Ryder said. The criminal complaint also alleges that, in relation to the embezzlement, Bashkinov damaged and destroyed property that was valued at more than $150,000. Bashkinov's duties reached far beyond handling the hospital's refund policy. She was in charge of billing and collections, new admissions to the hospital and other registration functions. Hospital officials became suspicious of Bashkinov recently because of account discrepancies, and called in police. An undisclosed amount of money has been recovered and the hospital is relying on insurance to cover the rest, Leggett said. David Fleming
David Fleming , a director of the hospital, said seeing Bashkinov led from the hospital in handcuffs hand·cuff n. A restraining device consisting of a pair of strong, connected hoops that can be tightened and locked about the wrists and used on one or both arms of a prisoner in custody; a manacle. Often used in the plural. tr.v. and the allegations against her have stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. the hospital staff and officials. ``She was a very popular employee and a good worker,'' Fleming said. ``All of us were shocked by what happened and are happy we were able to recover what we were able to recover. It took a lot of hard work.'' |
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