Former SEMO Health Network CEO sentenced to prison

ST. LOUIS -- The former CEO of SEMO Health Network will serve almost three years in prison for submitting false documentation to federal agencies.

Cheryl Ann White, 56, of New Madrid was sentenced Wednesday to 33 months in prison for conspiring to create and submit numerous false documents related to Southeast Missouri Health Network Inc. to federal agencies from 2004 to 2013.

In April White entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court. White admitted that SEMO submitted annual grant reports for 2008 through 2012 and as many as 40 grant applications, which contained false information, including information about the number of patients needing services and the number of services provided by SEMO. White also admitted to using SEMO funds to pay for a roof on a building she owned; selling another building and a trailer to SEMO while concealing her ownership; using SEMO funds to purchase personal gifts for a relative and some of her co-conspirators; and issuing checks to SEMO employees, who then gave the cash to her.

For more on the story see Thursday's Standard Democrat.