UPDATED: Former Princeton Hospital Director Charged with Embezzling $186K

The former Director of Medical Staff Services at Princeton Healthcare System was charged on Thursday, May 24, with stealing $186,000 from the hospital, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday.

Jhoanna Engelhardt-Fullar, 41, of Burlington, was charged with one count of second-degree theft by deception, said Casey DeBlasio, a spokeswoman for the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.

Engelhardt-Fullar posted $35,000 bail on Thursday.

Hospital officials contacted authorities in early February 2012, and a subsequent three month investigation revealed that between April 19, 2010 and Dec. 28, 2011, Engelhardt-Fullar allegedly stole the money from the PCHS Medical Staff account, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. 

The alleged theft occurred over a period of a year and a half, authorities said. Engelhardt-Fuller was terminated from the hospital in February.

"The investigation revealed that she was issuing fraudulent checks to herself and transferring medical staff account funds to her personal credit cards," read part of the Prosecutor’s Office press release. "Engelhardt-Fullar also made more than 130 unauthorized purchases on the medical staff account’s VISA debit card. The charges for various merchandise and services included grocery stores, department stores, restaurants, auto repairs, timeshare payments and Apple products."

Princeton Healthcare Systems issued a brief statement on Friday afternoon. 

"We uncovered potential irregularities through an internal audit and brought this information to the Princeton Police," it said in part. "The Princeton Police and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office conducted an investigation that resulted in the current action."

"Ms. Engelhardt-Fullar is no longer employed by Princeton HealthCare System," according to the statement.

Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. credited Det. Michele Russell of the Economic Crime Unit and Princeton Borough Police Det. Dan Federico with the investigation leading to the charges. 

If convicted, Engelhardt-Fullar faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in state prison and a $150,000 fine.

The hospital was located on Witherspoon Street in Princeton for 93 years. On Tuesday, May 22, it relocated to Plainsboro and is now called the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro.