The United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Florida has announced that Charmaine Gatlin, the former chief operating officer of the Miami-based Jackson Health Foundation, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of embezzling at least $4.3 million from the foundation, the philanthropic arm of Miami-Dade County’s Jackson Health System.
According to court documents, Gatlin defrauded the foundation as she led a conspiracy that involved submitting false invoices for services that were never received and taking kickbacks while directing the funds to herself, her relatives, and unrelated businesses. The former COO could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when sentenced later this year.
Gatlin, who served as COO since 2014, was “terminated for cause” by the foundation in November 2024 after an internal audit. She was arrested in May following a plea deal by Yergan Jones, president of American Sound Design, who admitted to conspiring to falsely bill the foundation for $2.1 million and then kick back $1 million to Gatlin…