PITTSBURGH, PA - A Butler County woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of both wrongfully obtaining and disclosing the health information of another individual, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The six-count indictment, returned on June 28, named Linda Sue Kalina, 61, of Butler, Pennsylvania.
According to the indictment presented to the court, Kalina, while employed as a Patient Information Coordinator by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and then by the Allegheny Health Network, wrongfully obtained health information, in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), from March 30, 2016, through Aug. 14, 2017, relating to 111 individual patients. The indictment also charges that on four occasions between Dec. 30, 2016, and Aug. 11, 2017, Kalina wrongfully disclosed the health information of three such individuals, with the intent to cause malicious harm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 11 years in prison, a fine of $350,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
