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A former chief financial officer of a Chicago hospital, along with the hospital's chief transformation officer and a medical supply company owner, conspired to embezzle more than $15 million from the hospital, according to a superseding indictment handed down by an Illinois federal grand jury on Thursday.

Elaborate Scheme to Defraud Hospital

Prosecutors allege that for years, Anosh Ahmed, former CFO of Loretto Hospital, worked with Heather Bergdahl, the hospital's chief transformation officer, and Sameer Suhail, a medical supply company owner, to have the hospital issue payments to vendor companies for goods and services that were never provided.

In fact, those vendors were allegedly created by Suhail and Ahmed under various names to hide their connection to the fraudulent payments. Prosecutors claim Bergdahl opened bank accounts in the names of two legitimate hospital vendors, leading to the hospital depositing fraudulent payments into those accounts.

Former Hospital CFO Embezzled $15M  : Concealing the Fraud

The indictment describes the hospital only as "Hospital A." However, Ahmed's LinkedIn profile indicates he worked as CFO of Loretto Hospital during the relevant period. The scheme purportedly lasted from 2018 to 2022, ultimately diverting more than $15 million into accounts controlled by Ahmed, Bergdahl, and Suhail, the Justice Department said.

"In an effort to conceal the scheme, Ahmed, Bergdahl, and Suhail allegedly created fictitious invoices, payment requests, delivery receipts, and other false documents about goods and services purportedly provided to the hospital," the DOJ stated on Friday.

Former Hospital CFO Embezzled $15M  : Charges and Arrests

Bergdahl was initially indicted in May, with Ahmed and Suhail being implicated in the latest indictment. Only Bergdahl has been arrested so far, according to the case docket. Arrest warrants were issued Friday for Suhail and Ahmed.

Ahmed, 40, of Houston, faces eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of embezzlement, 11 counts of aiding and abetting embezzlement, and three counts of money laundering. Bergdahl, 37, also from Houston, is charged with 14 counts of wire fraud, 21 counts of embezzlement, and one count of money laundering. Suhail, 47, of Chicago, is charged with six counts of wire fraud, six counts of aiding and abetting embezzlement, and two counts of money laundering.

Background and Legal Representation

According to LinkedIn, Ahmed worked for Loretto from 2018 until March 2021. Before that, he attended Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and completed his residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago.

Counsel for Bergdahl did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday. Loretto, Suhail, and Ahmed could not be immediately reached for comment.

The government is represented by Sheri H. Mecklenburg and Kelly L. Guzman of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois. Bergdahl is represented by Bethany K. Biesenthal, Jordan M. Matthews, Kevin Hasenfang, and Taylor M. Grode of Jones Day. Counsel information for Suhail and Ahmed was not immediately available.