RICHMOND, Va. — A former Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) employee has been sentenced for 72 months, or 6 years, in prison after embezzling $4.1 million over three years.
Adam Harrell, the former Associate Director of OEMS, pleaded guilty to mail fraud, federal program theft, and evasion of tax assessment this summer.
WATCH: Former OEMS employee charged with stealing over $4 million from state
CBS 6 began investigating OEMS in September 2023, when we broke the story that the Virginia Department of Health, which oversees the OEMS, was conducting an internal investigation into that office after discovering a large budget shortfall.
Subsequently, VDH said it had reported “possible financial irregularities” to the Virginia State Police and the Office of the State Inspector General.
VSP said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia was also involved in the investigation.
Harrell became the Associate Director at OEMS in September 2019, according to court records.
In that position, the feds alleged Harrell devised a scheme to unjustly enrich himself by misappropriating money from OEMS.
They claim Harrell created a company called Strategic Tech Innovations LLC in November 2020.
Court records say he then created 15 fraudulent invoices for services and technology that his company would provide to OEMS, however, Harrell knew his company would not actually be providing those services to OEMS.
On top of that the Feds allege Harrell set exorbitant and non-market prices for those services.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Harrell used the money to buy real estate properties, luxury vehicles, dozens of firearms, and jewelry.
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