The former chief operating officer of Jackson Health Foundation has admitted to stealing millions of dollars from the nonprofit through false invoices, kickbacks, and personal luxury purchases, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
According to court documents, from 2014 through 2024, Charmaine Gatlin, 52, served as COO of the Foundation, which is the fundraising arm of Jackson Health System. During her tenure, Gatlin drew a base salary ranging from $185,000 and $290,000. Despite her compensation, Gatlin admitted that she defrauded the Foundation out of at least $4.3 million by directing funds to herself, her relatives, or unrelated entities, rather than to the Foundation or Jackson Health System.
For example, Gatlin approved approximately $2 million in invoices from a Georgia-based audiovisual company for services that were never provided. In return, the vendor paid Gatlin $1 million in kickbacks, which she used in part to pay her personal credit card bill. Gatlin coached the vendor on how to falsify invoices, including billing for audiovisual services that had already been donated to the Foundation. The vendor, Yergan Jones, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the scheme.
Gatlin also directed a merchandise vendor to purchase luxury items for her from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Apple in exchange for keeping the Foundation’s business. Gatlin further misused restricted donations, such as approving $55,101 in Foundation funds to purchase 10,000 “first aid kits” falsely labeled as “trauma burn giveaways” from the same vendor.
In another instance, Gatlin submitted a false invoice to cover the purchase of a rose gold-colored golf cart, which she had delivered to her Weston home in September 2023.
Gatlin is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 25 before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI Miami Field Office led the investigation with assistance from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Young is prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.
