COLUMBIA – Teresa Yarborough-Walker, age 50, of Blythewood, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Theft of Government Funds. She was also ordered to pay over $416,000 in restitution. Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided.
Walker
Walker pled guilty in April to stealing approximately $416,257 in federal funds, United States Attorney Beth Drake stated. Evidence presented at the April hearing established that Walker was the human resources supervisor for Genesis Health Care, Inc. Genesis is a non-profit health care center that offers medical services to poor, rural communities. Genesis was funded by the Health Resources Service Administration, an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services. Many Genesis patients are on Medicare and Medicaid.
Walker embezzled from Genesis by creating fictitious employees and paying them a salary. She then diverted those salaries to herself. She modified the payroll software to prevent reports from going to management that would have revealed the scheme.
The theft is a violation of Title 18, United States Code 641. Walker faced a maximum penalty of imprisonment for ten years with a potential fine up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service and the City of Columbia Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
