Anesthesiology School Director Embezzles $215K, Sentenced to Two Years

Former Cleveland Clinic Anesthesiology Director Paul Blakeley Faces Two-Year Sentence for $215K Embezzlement

The former director of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Nursing Anesthesiology School, Paul Blakeley, 59, of Concord Township, Ohio, was sentenced to two years in prison for embezzling $215,760 from the institution, announced U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach.

In addition to his prison term, Blakeley was ordered by U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi to pay full restitution of $215,760 to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Blakeley pleaded guilty to a one-count information in September for issuing approximately 110 unauthorized checks from the school’s accounts between 2007 and 2013. Approximately half of these checks were forged by Blakeley, who made them payable to his spouse and various merchants and credit card issuers before depositing them into his personal bank account.

Assistant United States Attorneys Robert W. Kern and Miranda Dugi handled the prosecution of this case, which followed an investigation led by the Cleveland Clinic Protective Operations and the United States Secret Service.

This sentence sends a stark reminder of the accountability for white-collar crime in our community. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, renowned for its medical excellence, is grateful to the justice system for holding Blakeley accountable.