Atlanta healthcare employee pleads guilty to stealing patient info for $30 million unemployment scheme

The U.S. Department of Justice said seven Georgians have been indicted and one has pleaded guilty to defrauding the Georgia Department of Labor out of at least $30 million in stolen benefits. 

The seven defendants are accused of filing more than 5,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the Georgia DOL. The defendants include an Atlanta woman, Edith Nate Hicks, who prosecutors said stole personally identifiable information from patients as an employee of an Atlanta-area hospital network. 

She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud on Nov. 15. Prosecutors said Hicks admitted to using patient databases to steal information and received money from Chime, Venmo and CashApp. Investigators said at least 1,600 people were affected. Hicks could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors said the funds were mean for assisting Georgians whose employment was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Federal prosecutors said the funds were mailed to addresses in Cordele and Vienna on prepaid debit cards.

The list of defendants includes: 

  • Tyshion Nautese Hicks, 30, Vienna
  • Shatara Hubbard, 34, Warner Robins
  • Torella Wynn, 30, Cordele
  • Macovian Doston, 29, Vienna
  • Kenya Whitehead, 35, Cordele
  • A’Darrion Alexander, 27, Warner Robins
  • Membrish Brown, 27, Vienna
  • Edith Nate Hicks, 45, Atlanta

Tyshion Hicks, Hubbard, Wynn, Doston, Whitehead, Alexander, and Brown are each charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Hicks and Doston face identity theft charges and Alexander was charged with money laundering. Defendants' maximum possible sentences could range from 20 to 40 years, prosecutors said, depending on the charges.

The Department of Justice said people who think they're victims in this case should call the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.