Former Tampa General employee sentenced for fraud

TAMPA — Former Tampa General Hospital employee Shanakia Benton has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for a fraud scheme involving tax returns.

Between June 2011 and December 2012, Benton illegally accessed the personal information of more than 600 TGH patients, a statement says. She used that information to file at least 29 false tax returns seeking $226,000 in refunds.

Benton was charged and sentenced for wrongful disclosure of individual identifiable health information and wire fraud, the statement says. Authorities are also seeking $77,239 to recover funds lost in the charged criminal conduct.

Benton's case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Tampa Police Department.