Boston - A Braintree man was sentenced yesterday for stealing from a Boston charitable hospital.
Ronald Silverio, 62, was sentenced to two years of probation, the first six months of which he must serve in home confinement under electronic ankle bracelet monitoring, and to pay $13,971.00 in restitution to the hospital, which constitutes the balance he owes to the hospital for losses totaling nearly $25,000. Last spring, Silverio pleaded guilty to theft or embezzlement in connection with health care.
Beginning in July 2003 until June 2010, Silverio was employed as Vice President of Support Services for the victim health care facility, a non-profit rehabilitation hospital that serves to sick and disabled children. In that capacity, Silverio supervised various employees and contractors who performed construction and maintenance services at the hospital. Between June 2008 and June 2010, Silverio had hospital employees and contractors perform personal work for him and his family members during the workday, while these employees and contractors were working for and being paid by the hospital. He also acquired items for his personal use on the hospital's account or using the hospital's credit cards from various stores, including Home Depot and Lowe's, without reimbursing the hospital. Silverio’s activities cost the hospital, which relied heavily on Medicaid and charitable contributions to operate, nearly $25,000.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Susan J. Waddell, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations and Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Asiaf Schlatz and Jeremy Sternberg of Ortiz’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Economic Crimes Unit, respectively.
