Former Florida Hospital Employee Pleads Guilty to Data Theft

ORLANDO—United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that Dale Munroe, II (35, Winter Haven) today pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. Munroe faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Sentencing has been set for January 14, 2013.

According to his plea agreement, Munroe was hired in July 2006 at Florida Hospital in Celebration, Florida. During his employment, Munroe worked as a registration representative in the Emergency Department, where he registered patients as they came in the main emergency entrance. From January 2009 until his termination in July 2011, Munroe used his position to obtain individually identifiable health information about patients of Florida Hospital who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents. Munroe would disclose that information to another conspirator, Sergei Kusyakov. Kusyakov and other conspirators would then use the stolen information to solicit patients of Florida Hospital for lawyers and chiropractors. Kusyakov would pay Munroe for his role in providing the stolen information. Florida Hospital has identified more than 12,000 patients whose individually identifiable health information was illegally accessed as a part of this conspiracy.

Kusyakov was arrested on September 21, 2012, for his role in this scheme. On October 10, 2012, he was indicted for one count of conspiracy and four counts of wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. His trial is set for December 2012. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.