Former Florida Hospital Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Data Theft

ORLANDO—U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Dale Munroe, II (35, Winter Haven) to 12 months and one day in federal prison for his role in stealing the information of Florida Hospital patients. As part of his sentence, Munroe was also ordered to serve a two-year term of supervised release. Munroe pleaded guilty on October 22, 2012.

According to court documents, Munroe was hired at the Celebration, Florida location of Florida Hospital in July 2006. During his employment, he worked as a registration representative in the Emergency Department, where he would register 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 of patients of Florida Hospital who had been involved in motor vehicle accidents. Munroe would then disclose that information to Sergei Kusyakov, who was involved in the operation of two chiropractic clinics (Metro Chiropractic and Wellness Center and City Lights Medical Center). Kuskyakov and other conspirators would then use the stolen information to solicit Florida Hospital patients for chiropractic and legal services. Kusyakov would pay Munroe for his role in providing the stolen information. On July 12, 2011, Munroe was terminated by Florida Hospital for a patient data breach that was unrelated to the conspiracy described above.

Approximately a week after his termination, Katrina Munroe (30, Winter Haven), Munroe’s wife and also an employee of Florida Hospital, was recruited by the conspirators to take over the role of stealing patient data and providing it to Kusyakov. In August 2012, Katrina Munroe was terminated from her position at the hospital, after becoming a suspect in a data breach incident. In December 2012, she pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing has been set for March 11, 2013.

On January 7, 2013, Sergei Kusyakov (38, Davenport) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and four counts of wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. He faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has been set for March 25, 2013.

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.