Pictured above: Ralph Puglisi leaving Tampa’s federal courthouse on Aug. 26, 2021.
Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times.
By Michael Alden
A former USF accounting manager pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $13 million from a non-profit company associated with USF Health on Thursday.
Ralph Puglisi, 59, admitted he used company credit cards to embezzle $12.8 million from the University Medical Service Association (UMSA) over six years while working as their account manager. The nonprofit “assists with the billing, collection, and disbursement of funds generated by USF Health medical faculty.”
An investigative firm hired by USF found Puglisi spent nearly $11.5 million on the adult entertainment website MyGirlFund.com. The plea agreement states the rest of the money went toward chartered yachts, home renovations, rent payments and travel.
He also admitted to laundering $1.4 million in payments to a woman through the site. According to an investigate report by USF, the woman is believed to be his stepson’s fiancée. She mailed a $18,953 check to Puglisi in November 2019, resulting in a federal mail fraud charge.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Puglisi faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 under the plea deal, followed by up to three years of supervised release.
Puglisi will be on home confinement with his brother, Robert Puglisi Jr., until his sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. The brothers signed a bond of $100,000 with an exception that allows Puglisi to travel to Atlanta for a traumatic brain injury treatment, according to the Times.
USF Health officials first noticed suspicious account activity in November and notified police. After an investigation by both the university and police, it was determined Puglisi used company credit cards and hid the charges in UMSA’s financial records.
USF announced the embezzlement on Aug. 12 and issued the following statement:
“USF is a victim of a serious crime by a person who held a position of trust. The individual responsible is a former employee of UMSA, Ralph Puglisi, who has been charged criminally by the federal government with embezzlement and has agreed to plead guilty. The plea agreement also includes Puglisi’s restitution to the university.
In parallel with USF’s efforts to support law enforcement action and recover stolen funds, USF engaged neutral third-party reviewers, including the USF Office of Internal Audit and consulting firm Protiviti, to conduct a complete review of the matter. The results of this review show that USF is a victim and that this was an isolated, criminal act by Puglisi.
The review found that Puglisi embezzled approximately $12.8 million from 2014 to 2020. Puglisi was terminated from his position shortly after the theft was discovered. UMSA has also terminated the employment of its director of financing and accounting, who was Puglisi’s immediate supervisor and responsible for oversight of Puglisi’s work, and its internal auditor, who was responsible for UMSA’s internal audit plan and key financial safeguards.”
But they furlough employees because of lack of funds. USF needs a rehaul of their administrators.
All the while the website he laundered the money through is refusing to pay their employees/models. Some have gotten paid while others have not seen a single dime of the money owed to them in months. They ignore everyone they have not gave a reason they have not made a comment. Just being ignored and confused. Not sure when to expect their money if ever. Sounds like the place is shutting down over this and they are not speaking. Taking the models money and running.
Seriously?!? How can USF credit cards be used to pay MILLIONS for adult entertainment sites for 5 years and nobody notices? Can you say checks and balances in financial operations?
There should be a line of people resigning or being fired over this yet all we are seeing is this one person being held accountable.