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Former Surgical Practice Administrator Sentenced to 26 Months in Prison for Embezzling More than a Million Dollars
Birmingham, AL – In a shocking case of financial deceit, former surgical practice administrator Betty Jo “BJ” Latsis, 58, of Birmingham, was sentenced to 26 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling more than $1 million from Colon & Rectal Surgical Associates of Birmingham.
According to court documents, Latsis, a registered nurse, handled bookkeeping and accounting functions for the practice and used her position of trust to steal money in a variety of ways between 2013 and 2020. She transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars from practice accounts to a PayPal account she controlled, paid herself hundreds of thousands of dollars more than she was authorized to receive, and used practice funds to pay off her personal credit card bills and those of her spouse.
Latsis also used credit card accounts in doctors’ names to pay personal expenses, including a ‘7 Night Northern European CityScapes’ Royal Caribbean cruise for her and her spouse. In addition, she used practice funds to pay her and her spouse’s personal expenses directly – car lease payments, life insurance premiums, and even an $8,000 home entertainment system from Best Buy.
The total amount of money embezzled by Latsis during her tenure at the surgical practice is estimated to be over $1.1 million. As part of her plea agreement, Latsis was required to pay $400,000 back to her victims by the time of sentencing, which she did. At sentencing, she was ordered to pay an additional $600,000 in restitution.
The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre presided over the sentencing hearing.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of financial transparency and the devastating consequences of embezzlement. As the Grimy Times continues to dig deeper into the world of financial crime, we will bring you updates on this and other cases as they unfold.
Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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