UPMC pharmacy employee arrested in theft of $425K in hospital funds

A pharmacy employee at UPMC Presbyterian was charged Thursday in connection with the theft of more than $425,000 from the health care giant.

Chante Cantave, 28, of Penn Hills is accused of using more than $410,000 of UPMC’s funds for her own benefit and submitting about $15,000 in fraudulent reimbursement requests, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office.

In December, UPMC’s human resources department and fraud team were notified that Cantave, an administrative assistant, made “questionable purchases with company funding for items the pharmacy did not need,” a UPMC senior program manager told detectives.

Cantave told human resources employees that she was unaware of the purchases and requested an attorney. She was suspended pending an investigation.

Further investigation revealed that Cantave had made requests to purchase nearly 2,700 items totaling $412,000 since she was hired in May 2020.

These items included self-help books, home improvement items, computer-related items and commercial cleaning equipment, possibly for a cleaning business Cantave may own, the complaint said. She is charged with unlawful taking, criminal attempt, receiving stolen property and unlawful use of a computer.

Cantave and her supervisor, who is required to approve all purchases, are the only two people who work in their office space. The supervisor told detectives he had not seen or approved any of the questionable purchases.

He told detectives he also had not approved the fraudulent reimbursement requests, which were for items like holiday decorations, party supplies and large quantities of food, such as sushi, smoked salmon and brisket.

The purchases and reimbursement requests were made when Cantave’s supervisor was in meetings or out of the office, the complaint said. The supervisor told detectives he never locked his door or his computer before leaving the office.

The pharmacy manager told detectives she often would see Cantave in or coming out of the supervisor’s office.

Most of Cantave’s requests were approved in less than five minutes, some within seconds of one another, the complaint said. The supervisor told detectives it would not be possible for him to approve requests that quickly.

UPMC’s IT department found no evidence that Cantave or her supervisor’s computers had been hacked. No evidence was found on Cantave’s computer suggesting she was selling the items she purchased with company money, the complaint said.

Paper tablets were found on her desk detailing the dimensions of shipping boxes and specific items written next to them.

UPMC officials declined to comment.

Cantave is awaiting a preliminary hearing.