A former employee of Lee Memorial Hospital has been fired and faces grand theft charges after allegedly stealing emergency medical equipment valued at over $150,000 from the facility.
Ricardo Rodrigues, the hospital’s former lead plant operations technician, is accused of stealing at least 24 heart monitors, as well as a feeding tube pump and various medical supplies.
The investigation, led by the Fort Myers Police Department, revealed that Rodrigues had targeted the hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU), putting patient care at risk by leaving the facility in a critical shortage of essential medical devices
Each heart monitor, which he reportedly sold via eBay to medical resellers in California and Minnesota, is valued at approximately $8,500.
“This type of crime is absolutely disgraceful, especially given who he targeted—his employer and, most importantly, vulnerable individuals in need of medical treatment,” said Detective Sergeant Charles Ciulla of the Fort Myers Police Department.
Detectives have been building a case against Rodrigues for several months. The investigation came to a head when the medical resellers, upon realizing the items were stolen, returned the heart monitors to Lee Memorial Hospital.
Rodrigues ultimately turned himself in at the Fort Myers Police Department.
“We believe this is a serious crime that not only affects the hospital but also the citizens of the community,” Ciulla added, emphasizing the broader implications of Rodrigues’ actions.