PEORIA, Ill. – A former Morton resident is going to prison for more than five years — and must pay almost $2 million in restitution — after on several years for essentially stealing medical equipment from his job.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Peoria says Steven Racich, 49 — now of Tampa, Florida — was given 68 months in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty last November on charges of Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Making a False Tax Return.
Prosecutors say Racich was a branch manager for Apira Healthcare’s location in Peoria — which sells at-home medical equipment among other services.
Racich allegedly stole CPAP machines from the company for a four year period, and would sell them through a business he created under an alias, communicating with the customers, taking payments via PayPal, then shipping the units out with Apira unknowingly paying for the shipping charges.
Racich allegedly made nearly $1.5 million through the scheme.
He could have faced decades in prison.
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