Investigation Uncovers Allegations of Theft by Former Honolulu Mental Health Service Provider from Patient

A former resident manager at a mental health service in Hawaii faces serious federal charges. Joon H. Lee, 45, is accused of stealing over $6,000 from a patient. He allegedly used the patient’s identity to set up multiple debit cards and a Venmo account.

Lee currently faces charges for making a false statement to a financial institution and aggravated identity theft. He has been released on a $50,000 unsecured bond but must stay at a halfway house.

Lee’s court hearing was postponed and is now scheduled for October 8. Between 2019 and 2023, at least two financial companies took legal action against him to recover unpaid charges.

Assisting with the prosecution is Assistant U.S. Attorney Aislinn K. Affinito, while Lee is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. The criminal complaint details how Lee and an unnamed accomplice opened a Venmo account in the victim’s name without permission. They also secured three debit cards, enabling them to move money around fraudulently.

From August 2023 until January 2024, the pair pulled off considerable financial activity. About $6,513 was received through the phony Venmo account, with nearly $6,513 sent out, involving over 500 transactions in total. One card alone was used for 36 transactions, resulting in $4,304.29.

The spam account also enabled six ATM withdrawals amounting to about $1,680.50. It’s important to note that one of the earlier complaints against Lee, dating back to April 2019, involved him accessing the same victim’s bank account without consent.

The investigation revealed that Lee might have accessed this personal information through his role at a mental health service provider, which is non-profit and publicly funded. This raises significant concerns about patient privacy in mental health care settings. As the case develops, it brings forth broader discussions about how sensitive information must be protected, especially in institutions that serve vulnerable individuals.



Source link

Venmo account, Joon H. Lee, resident manager, federal court records, federal criminal charges, debit cards, mental health