The former chief operating officer of the fundraising division of Jackson Health System is facing federal charges after prosecutors accused her of embezzling millions for bribes and extravagant personal expenses, including a “rose gold-colored golf cart,” officials stated on Wednesday.
Charmaine Gatlin, 52, served as the COO of the Jackson Health Foundation from 2014 to 2024. She’s charged with one crime of wire fraud conspiracy, 26 charges of wire fraud, and five counts of money laundering.
Gatlin’s base compensation ranged from $185,000 to $290,000, but prosecutors believe she filed at least $3.6 million in phony bills for goods and services.
In addition to payments, some of the money was given to an “unnamed Atlanta-based civic organization,” according to prosecutors.
“For example, as charged in the indictment, Gatlin approved approximately $2 million in invoices to a Georgia-based audiovisual company for services that were not provided to the Foundation,” a U.S. Department of Justice news release states. “Instead, the vendor allegedly paid $1 million in kickbacks directly to Gatlin, some of which she used to pay her personal credit card bill.”
Prosecutors claim she also fabricated invoices from a retail seller “who, at Gatlin’s request, bought her expensive designer gifts from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Apple.”
According to the news release, she “also submitted a false invoice to the Foundation to cover the purchase of a new rose gold-colored golf cart” that she had delivered to her Weston home in September 2023.
Gatlin currently resides in southeast Georgia, and she made her first appearance in Savannah federal court Wednesday.
“Jackson has worked closely with federal authorities throughout every step of this investigation,” the statement reads in part. “At the same time, Jackson Health System implemented additional financial controls and administrative oversight of the Foundation.”
In a second news release, a Jackson Health spokeswoman stated that the “misappropriation” of cash was uncovered during a 2024 “restructuring” of the foundation’s leadership and was “immediately” reported to police enforcement.
It goes on to say, “Jackson leadership and the Foundation Board of Directors are grateful to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for aggressively pursuing any theft of dollars intended to support Jackson.”
If convicted, Gatlin may face several decades in prison.
