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Former hospital worker pleads guilty to stealing patient identities

Emergency Management Alert, October 28, 2003

A former employee of Abbott Northwestern Hospital pleaded guilty October 20 to stealing patients Social Security numbers and then giving them to others who would open fraudulent credit card and phone accounts, the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis reports.

Teresa L. Timberlake, 28, was a certified nursing assistant at Abbotts Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Services in Minneapolis from August 2001 until she quit in April 2002. She stole the numbers from patient information cards. As part of her plea deal, Timberlake agreed to testify against five others charged with crimes including theft by swindle and forgery. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15 to four months in a county workhouse.

Among those who used the numbers was Benjamin P. Richardson, Jr., 23, who pleaded guilty to one count of identity theft, one count of theft by swindle, and one count of aggravated forgery. He faces sentencing on November 14 to 15 months in prison. Both Timberlake and Richardson must pay restitution.

The scheme involved 33 patients and was uncovered after a Sister Kenny patient recuperating from a stroke informed a Sears store about the fraudulent use of his credit card. The suspects in the case amassed $49,000 in phone bills and bought approximately $29,000 in goods, including a diamond ring and a $2,000 television with surround sound.

Hospital officials said no medical information was stolen. The hospital also changed its information system, dropping the cards that list Social Security numbers.

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