Jun 12, 2009 2 min read

A former Brownsville General Hospital employee faces federal embezzlement charges. The charges were filed Tuesday against Ellen Pocratsky of Uniontown by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Pittsburgh for embezzlement that allegedly occurred between April 2000 and January 2005. According to documents filed in bankruptcy court, between $200,000 and $400,000 was allegedly taken by Pocratsky, who served as the hospital’s employee benefits director. The theft was discovered in September 2005 and reported to the hospital’s insurance carrier at that time, AIG Financial Services. The exact amount of the alleged theft is not spelled out in the criminal complaint filed in federal court. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office Pocratsky is expected to plead guilty to the single count, though a date for the pleading before Judge Terrence McVerry has not yet been set.

According to the charges, Pocratsky faces a maximum penalty of not more than 10 years in prison and/or a fine of not more than $250,000, or twice the amount taken, whichever is greater, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The complaint states that in this case, restitution may also be required.

The matter also became part of bankruptcy proceedings because the former nonprofit Brownsville General Hospital was sold to a for-profit group in March 2005. The group surrendered its hospital license and declared bankruptcy in January 2006. It was noted in the bankruptcy records that the money allegedly embezzled could have been recovered through insurance, but the proper paperwork was not filed with the insurance company. The bankruptcy plan administrator, Robert Bernstein, is still attempting to recoup the funds. Bernstein has an outstanding case seeking hospital records seized by the FBI.