International Courant
A former West Virginia state well being official was sentenced Monday to 1 12 months of probation for mendacity about whether or not or not he verified vendor invoices from an organization claiming to have performed COVID-19 assessments for the state.
Timothy Priddy was sentenced in federal courtroom for his responsible plea to creating a false assertion to investigators.
An indictment filed in October charged Priddy with mendacity to federal brokers in August 2022 when he mentioned he verified a vendor’s invoices for performing COVID-19 assessments as a part of a back-to-school program earlier than approving them. Priddy knew his statements have been false as a result of he made no such verification efforts, in accordance with prosecutors.
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Priddy, 49, of Buffalo, West Virginia, had confronted as much as 5 years in jail and a $250,000 advantageous.
Priddy, who held varied managerial positions with the state Bureau for Public Well being’s Heart for Menace Preparedness, left his job the day the indictment was introduced.
A former West Virginia well being official has been sentenced for mendacity about whether or not he verified vendor invoices from an organization claiming to have performed state COVID-19 assessments. (Fox Information)
Prosecutors mentioned federal investigators have been attempting to find out whether or not a number of distributors offering COVID-19 assessments and mitigation companies to the state overbilled or in any other case acquired federal funds they should not have via the state Division of Well being and Human Assets. Investigators centered on a vendor that submitted invoices permitted by Priddy for funds exceeding $34 million.
Prosecutors mentioned the seller reported the outcomes of about 49,000 COVID-19 assessments between October 2020 and March 2022 however submitted invoices reflecting the price of about 518,000 check kits. The indictment didn’t title the seller however mentioned the corporate was from out of state and supplied check kits, laboratory evaluation and held neighborhood testing occasions all through West Virginia.
Distributors have been required to report check outcomes so officers would have correct details about the variety of COVID-19 infections and any geographical sizzling spots, the indictment mentioned.
The West Virginia Well being Division has mentioned {that a} contract with the corporate resulted in October 2022 and that the company cooperated totally with federal investigators.
U.S. Lawyer Will Thompson mentioned important questions stay in regards to the legitimacy of the seller’s invoices however there is no such thing as a proof that Priddy lied to guard the seller or additional its enterprise.
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“As an alternative, it seems that Mr. Priddy lied to cover his personal dereliction of obligation,” Thompson mentioned.
Ex-WV well being official will get 12 months of probation for mendacity about COVID check invoices
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