Jihan S. Cover, a 33-year-old purchasing agent with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), has pleaded guilty to theft of approximately $114,494 in government funds.
Cover, of Arden, N.C., pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information charging her with theft of government property before Magistrate Judge Dennis L. Howell in the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, between June 2009 and December 2010, Cover admitted using and causing to be used NIH/NCI purchase cards assigned to her in more than 250 unauthorized personal transactions totaling approximately $114,494.
Using the purchase cards, Cover made more than 170 personal purchases totaling approximately $16,000 from Amazon.com for toys, exercise equipment, books, clothes, and other personal items. Almost all of these items were shipped to Cover’s residence in Arden.
Additionally, Cover admitted using the purchase cards to pay off more than $29,000 in balances she accrued with various cash advance and payday loan vendors. She also made more than $47,000 in payments to personal accounts she created on PayPal, an online payment website.
Cover’s scheme was uncovered after her supervisor at NIH/NCI reported suspicious transactions to the bank servicing her purchase cards. When confronted, Cover lied to investigators, claiming that she had reimbursed the personal transactions using her personal bank account.
At sentencing, Cover faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The government is also seeking forfeiture of $114,494.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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