Alexander Lenox gets prison time for using vets’ stolen records
MCPO Ret. in TN sends us a link to the story about Alexander Lenox, a convicted felon, who gets to add on another 7 1/2 years to his prison career résumé for stealing medical records from the local James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, apparently the hospital’s prosthetics unit and using them to commit tax fraud. He was busted when the cops smelled pot outside his Motel 6 room.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Sweeney told U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore that authorities hope to bring charges soon against the person who was working at Haley and selling veterans medical records.
The judge was horrified at the fraud, which was part of a wave of identity theft tax refund fraud that washed over the Tampa area the last few years. Tampa at one point was the recognized epicenter for this kind of theft, which involved the use of stolen identity information to file fraudulent tax returns to con the government into giving out bogus refunds.
Nice to know your medical records are this valuable, isn’t it? And I’m thinking that everyone has their price…even some VA employees
Category: Crime, Veterans' Affairs Department
Lenox has past convictions for manslaughter, aggravated battery (on a pregnant lady,) as well as drug and robbery offenses.
Apparently prosecutors are “hoping” to charge the person who worked at the VA Hospital who gave or sold the information to Lenox.
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I’m quite curious to see who this person was and what kind of criminal record they have (if any,) as well as what kind of pre-employment background check was done.
I’m always amazed at the VA. It’s a never ending circus.
Meanwhile, at reputable medical organizations, the mere act of looking at a neighbor’s medical record to see if they are okay will get you terminated on the spot and escorted out the door for violating the HIPAA act privacy concerns.
The VA hasn’t been serious about this for sometime nor have they done very much to protect these records. That’s a disgusting failure and those responsible should be sacked and replaced with people who understand how important the mission of the VA is to the nation and its’ veterans and start approaching the job with the required level of seriousness and professionalism to get the job done and done well.
Too many VA employees act like they work for the DMV instead of working at an organization with a critical mission.
VOV Ain’t it the truth brother! Every year, every doctor, lab and hospital has me sign a “NEW” HIPAA act privacy form! Your last sentence pretty much sums it up. Work for the DMV, work for the VA, meh about the same. “Hey, bud just put those records anywhere, I’ll get to em later. Yea sure, over there in the patient seating area is fine, my desk is already covered.”