Former health care office manager convicted of bank fraud

MACON – The former office manager of a middle Georgia chiropractic office was found guilty by a federal jury this week of committing bank fraud and other federal crimes in an embezzlement scheme involving federal loans that cost the established spinal center more than $200,000 in losses.

Emiliya Radford, 33, of Warner Robins, was found guilty of one count each of bank fraud, wire fraud and federal program theft following approximately one hour of deliberations by a federal jury. Radford was taken into federal custody after the guilty verdict and faces a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud; a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud; and a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for federal program theft, in addition to any restitution imposed by the court.

A sentencing date will be scheduled by the court. U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Emiliya Radford chose greed and deceit with her embezzlement scheme that victimized a small business that had operated in the Warner Robins community for many decades,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said. “Financial crimes devastate hard-working, law-abiding citizens and will not be tolerated by this office or our law enforcement partners.”

“Radford violated the trust of the company that hired her and elevated her to a position of leadership,” Robert Gibbs, senior supervisory resident agent of FBI Atlanta's Macon office, said. “Because of her self-interest and greed, she has not only thrown away her career but will spend time in prison for her crime.”

According to court documents and evidence submitted at trial, Radford’s company, Cyber Pinecone, was hired in September 2019 under a one-year contract to perform marketing work for Smith Spinal Care Center in Warner Robins. In May 2020, Radford was hired as office manager at the business, and her new salary was to include marketing work. Radford was given signatory authority over the SSCC bank account with Wells Fargo Bank.

As part of her duties, she was responsible for issuing and signing all biweekly payroll checks, including her own. Radford collected her salary as office manager and, without authorization of SSCC, continued to write and endorse checks to her business, Cyber Pinecone, for extensive marketing work totaling more than $200,000. In addition, she gave herself an unauthorized pay raise.

Some of these funds came from COVID-19 Federal Economic Disaster Loans. In addition to issuing these checks to herself and Cyber Pinecone, Radford also used money from the SSCC bank account to purchase a total of $11,015.67 worth of items from the Apple store that were shipped to her residence. When Radford quit on Dec. 19, 2022, none of these items could be located at SSCC, but some were later found inside her home when federal agents executed a search warrant on May 4, 2023.

The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the government.