Charity Secretary Sentenced for Theft

BOSTON, MA - A former secretary and administrative assistant at the Childrens Glaucoma Foundation was sentenced late yesterday in federal court for her embezzlement of funds over a period of more than six years from the private medical practice of a specialist in childrens glaucoma and from a childrens charity headed by the doctor. United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New England Field Division, and Douglas A. Bricker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation - Boston Field Office, announced that KAREN L. SICHER, age 46, of Stoneham, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and restitution of approximately $350,000. SICHER pleaded guilty to an Information charging her with ten counts of uttering forged securities, ten counts of health care program theft, and six counts of income tax evasion on January 16, 2007. At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that SICHER stole the money while she was working as a secretary and administrative assistant to the Childrens Glaucoma Foundation and to the doctor who headed that charity. The Childrens Glaucoma Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting programs for children with glaucoma and is operated out of the doctors medical office in Boston. The Childrens Glaucoma Foundation, which was formed by a group of physicians, parents of children with glaucoma, and concerned citizens, raises money and provides grants in support of programs and research for childrens glaucoma. SICHER stole and forged at least 61 blank checks belonging to the Childrens Glaucoma Foundation and deposited the checks into her own personal bank account. SICHER also embezzled funds from at least 165 medical insurance reimbursement checks from the doctors medical practice. SICHER failed to report the stolen funds as income on her federal income tax returns and evaded income taxes for 2000 through 2005. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - New England Field Division and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation - Boston Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda M. Ricci of Sullivans Economic Crimes Unit.