A federal employee is behind bars after being caught stealing a whopping $114,494 in government funds from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Jihan S. Cover, a 34-year-old purchasing agent from Arden, N.C., was sentenced to six months in prison for her crimes, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Cover was working for the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute when she carried out the theft, using government credit cards to make over 250 unauthorized personal transactions between June 2009 and December 2010.
The items purchased included toys, exercise equipment, books, clothes, and other personal items, which were shipped to Cover’s residence. She also used the cards to pay off cash advance and payday loan balances, totaling over $29,000.
In addition to the prison sentence, Cover was ordered to forfeit the stolen funds, pay $114,494 in restitution to HHS, and serve three years of supervised release, including six months of home confinement.
Cover pleaded guilty to one count of theft on August 22, 2011, and during her plea hearing, she admitted to lying to investigators about the charges and claiming she was a victim of identity theft.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Eric G. Olshan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, with the investigation conducted by the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
The sentence is a reminder that federal employees will be held accountable for their actions and that the Justice Department will vigorously pursue cases of corruption and theft of government funds.
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