PANAMA CITY, Florida – Phillip E. Hill Jr., 42, of Blountstown, Florida, was arraigned today in the U.S. District Court in Panama City after a federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging him with 24 counts of wire fraud and 4 counts of filing false tax returns.
The indictment alleges that, between 2010 and 2015, Hill used his positions as Chief Executive Officer and department head of Emergency Management Services to embezzle money from Calhoun-Liberty Hospital.
According to the indictment, Hill billed the hospital for goods it never received and did so using invoices in the name of ‘Southeastern Medical Supply,’ a sham business connected to a bank account controlled by Hill.
The indictment alleges that Hill also ordered medical supplies from eBay and other vendors and billed the hospital for these supplies at prices far in excess of what Hill actually paid for them.
The indictment alleges that Hill used the funds in the Southeastern bank account to pay personal credit card bills, to fund a business he owned and operated, to obtain cash, and to pay personal expenses, including grocery and travel expenses.
The maximum penalty for each wire fraud count is 20 years in prison, and the maximum penalty for each count of filing false tax returns is a maximum of 3 years in prison.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt.
The trial is scheduled for July 2, 2018, at 8:15 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Panama City.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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