Fired health care exec charged with sabotaging shipment of coronavirus-related supplies

The former vice president of a Georgia health care company faces federal criminal charges after he allegedly broke into the company’s computer system and deleted shipping records, delaying the distribution of coronavirus-related medical supplies to health care providers, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday.

Christopher Dobbins, 40, of Duluth, Georgia is charged with sabotaging electronic shipping records.

“The computer intrusions caused a potential modification or impairment of the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment, or care of at least one person and a threat to public health and safety by delaying shipments of PPEs,” federal prosecutors wrote in the criminal complaint.

Prosecutors say Mr. Dobbins may have been seeking revenge on his former employer, Stradis Healthcare in Peachtree Corners, Georgia.

A company investigation revealed “a pattern of escalating abuse” of its computer systems by Mr. Dobbins “that appears to coincide with disciplinary actions” against him, court records said.

The company was not named in the criminal complaint, but a review of Mr. Dobbins LinkedIn page says he worked as Vice President of Finance at Stradis from July 2016 until March 2020.

Those dates of employment match the dates listed on the criminal complaint.
Mr. Dobbins was terminated from the healthcare supplier last month. After receiving his final paycheck, Mr. Dobbins logged into Stradis’ computer system using a fake account he created while employed at the company, prosecutors said.

Once in the system, Mr. Dobbins created a second account editing 115,581 records and deleting 2,371records, according to court documents, according to a criminal complaint.

Mr. Dobbins’ actions disrupted the company’s shipping processes causing delays in the delivery of face masks and other personal protection equipment to healthcare providers, prosecutors said.

Stradis alerted the FBI, which nabbed Mr. Dobbins after investigation, the Justice Department said in a statement.

“This defendant allegedly disrupted the delivery of personal protective equipment in the middle of a global pandemic,” U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak said in a statement. “Scarce medical supplies should go to the healthcare workers and hospitals that need them during the pandemic.”