The former chief operating officer of the Jackson Health Foundation has been charged with embezzling more than $1 million from the nonprofit by submitting false invoices and accepting kickbacks, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Luxury goods, golf cart among alleged personal purchases
According to the indictment, Charmaine Gatlin, 52, former Weston resident, carried out the scheme while serving as COO of the foundation between 2014 and 2024.
The Jackson Health Foundation is the fundraising arm of Jackson Health System, which serves Miami-Dade County and receives funding through philanthropic donations, sales taxes and federal programs.
Prosecutors allege Gatlin approved about $2 million in invoices to a Georgia-based audiovisual company for services never provided to the foundation.
The vendor then allegedly paid $1 million in kickbacks to Gatlin, which she used in part to pay personal credit card bills, prosecutors said.
The indictment further claims that Gatlin coached the vendor via email on how to falsify invoices.
Wire fraud and money laundering among charges
Gatlin also allegedly falsified invoices from a merchandise vendor who, at her request, purchased luxury items including Louis Vuitton and Gucci handbags and Apple electronics.
She is additionally accused of billing the foundation for a rose gold-colored golf cart delivered to her Weston home in September 2023.
She is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, 26 counts of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering. Each wire fraud-related count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, while the money laundering charges carry up to 10 years each.
