Lakewood Ranch Hospital Data Breach (2014)

A nurse at the Lakewood Ranch ER has been fired after using patients' credit card to buy things online. Detectives began the investigation after they were assigned a fraudulent use of a credit card case where each of their respective victims had their credit card information stolen while they received treatment in the Lakewood Ranch ER. The detectives were able to connect the stolen information to Leslie McHugh, a registered nurse in the Emergency Department at the hospital. McHugh was using the credit card information to purchase packages online and have them shipped to her apartment, deputies said. Inside the suspect's apartment, detectives said they not only located one of the fraudulently obtained items that were initially stolen by the suspect but also a hand written ledger containing personal information and credit card numbers of approximately 20 former patients from the hospital. McHugh was arrested and charged with criminal use of personal information as well as fraudulent use of a credit card. The suspect was terminated from the hospital and more charges are pending as the investigation continues.