Healthcare Worker Asks for ‘Massive Break’ after Stealing Half a Million Dollars
Markitta Washington, a resident of Farmington Hills, MI., is just like many Americans. She has been working two jobs in order to make ends meet. However, unlike most Americans, she also drives an expensive Cadillac which has been made possible by stealing the Social Security numbers and personal information of hospital patients and filing fraudulent tax returns in their names.
Washington has added close to $500,000 to her salary with this “third job”. She recently admitted the theft and fraud, and has asked the judge to give her a “massive break” and suspend her jail sentence for 5 years.
Washington worked two hospital jobs, taking a position at both Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield and Harper Hospital in Detroit. In addition to taking home a pay check from each she also took home patents’ Social Security numbers and personal information.
At her trial, Washington admitted to stealing the data of 14 patients and using that information to file false tax returns in their names. Washington and her husband, who was also part of the scam, also sent in fraudulent tax returns seeking a further $500,000; however, the IRS failed to release the funds after the scam was uncovered by federal investigators. In total, the medical records of approximately 1,400 patients were stolen from the two hospitals.
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Washington has recently been ordered to serve a jail term of 4 years for her crimes. Her husband was sentenced to serve 5 years for his role in the massive identity fraud scheme. However, Washington has petitioned the judge and has asked for her sentence to be deferred for five years. She wants to report to serve her sentence once her husband has been released from jail to be there for her children. She wants to report to serve her sentence once he is released and can take over the child care responsibilities.
The judge has agreed to honor the request, although only if this is agreed by the Bureau of Prisons. According to a recent news report, Washington is expected to submit a new filing requesting a delay until June this year, which will let her children to finish the school year, after which they will move in with other family members.
