Grand jury awaits alleged embezzlement case
Published 1:03 pm Wednesday, March 19, 2008
By Staff
May be presented when grand jury convenes April 14
By CLAUD HODGES
Senior Reporter
The case of alleged embezzlement within the Beaufort County Hospital Foundation was not presented to the Beaufort County grand jury on Monday, according to Seth Edwards, district attorney for the 2nd Prosecutorial District.
Monday marked the second time the grand jury has met since the district attorney’s office received the Washington Police Department investigation’s findings on the case. The investigation determined the period of the alleged embezzlement was from mid-2002 through early 2006.
Since the release of the police department’s report to the district attorney’s office on Jan. 31, the grand jury met Feb. 18 and Monday. The district attorney’s office has yet to present the case to the grand jury.
Tom Anglim, an assistant district attorney with the 2nd Prosecutorial District, which includes Beaufort County, was assigned by Edwards to the case because Edwards has been a member of Beaufort County Hospital’s Board of Trustees.
Edwards said his association with the trustees would constitute a conflict of interest in this case. The trustees board is the policy-making entity for the hospital, and the foundation is the fundraising arm of the hospital.
On Monday, Anglim said he is working on the case and that the district attorney’s office will take the case to the grand jury when it knows it has all the information it needs to make the best argument for the state.
The next grand jury convenes April 14.
The suspect in the embezzlement case worked at the foundation and no longer works for the hospital.
In late November 2007, the hospital was made aware of a possible misappropriation of funds. Then, an announcement of the alleged embezzlement was made by the board of trustees. Shortly thereafter, the police department began investigating the matter.
The district attorney’s office, the police department nor the hospital will release the name of the suspect. None of the organizations will release the amount of money allegedly embezzled.
After a case is presented to a grand jury, the grand jury might issue an indictment. If an indictment is issued, an arrest warrant is issued for the person indicted.