The former director of the Yale School of Medicine has admitted to stealing electronic equipment from the institution, valued at $40 million, which she sold to support her "lavish lifestyle." The British newspaper "Daily Mail" reported that Jamie Patrone Codrington, aged 42, pleaded guilty to stealing computers and electronic equipment from the prestigious Yale University. The former employee used the money earned from selling the electronics to finance her extravagant lifestyle, including purchasing several homes, acquiring a fleet of luxury cars, and traveling around the world.
Jamie admitted in U.S. court to committing fraud related to her years-long scheme, as well as to filing a false tax return. She faces a prison sentence of up to 23 years, according to the Attorney General of Connecticut, who noted that her sentencing is scheduled for June 29. Jamie was arrested in September 2021 following a criminal complaint, but was released on a $1 million bond.
The employee's arrest came after the university alerted U.S. authorities about evidence of criminal behavior. Jamie's job involved making purchases for the medical school for amounts less than $10,000. Since early 2013, she consistently requested, either directly or through her staff, to purchase electronic equipment, including iPads, amounting to millions of dollars, and continued this practice for several years.
She used college funds to buy the devices and illegally resold them, resulting in the university losing over $40 million, while the U.S. Treasury lost more than $6 million due to her thefts. To cover up the thefts, Jamie forged college documents to claim that she needed to purchase the electronic devices, ensuring that all purchase orders were under $10,000, as any order exceeding this amount required additional approval, which could raise suspicions.
