FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2002 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRM (202) 514-2008 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON, D.C.-- A federal grand jury in the Western District of Virginia returned a twenty-count criminal indictment on corruption charges against three doctors who were formerly employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem, Virginia (VAMC Salem), the Justice Department announced today.
Doctors Benedict A. Profera, Daniel D. Semko, and Suzanne Haritatos Semko ("Haritatos") were charged with wire fraud, bribery and theft in connection with their conduct while employed at the VAMC Salem.
Profera served as head of the Podiatric Department and its residency program at the VAMC Salem. Semko and Haritatos were residents in the one-year program for the 1997-98 term and worked under Profera's supervision.
The indictment alleges that from March 1997 through March 1999, the three defendants engaged in a scheme to defraud the VAMC Salem and the United States by allowing Semko to receive credit and a salary for participating in the residency program when he was rarely present. Rather, according to the indictment, Semko spent virtually all his time running his private practice in Indiana and did not meet the requirements of the program.
The indictment further alleges that the residents influenced Profera to participate in the corruption scheme by paying him $25,000 the month before starting their residency program. The defendants characterized the payment as an interest free loan with no interest, repayment schedule or collateral.
The Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Roanoke are handling this matter. 02-029
Source: US Department of Justice
