A former chief operating officer of a Morgantown-based medical practice was sentenced to three years in federal prison Tuesday after admitting to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his employer. Francisco Ortiz, 50, formerly of Vacaville, California, was convicted of bank fraud and will also face five years of supervised release following his prison term.
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Federal prosecutors said Ortiz embezzled more than $650,000 from Wedgewood Physicians, Inc. while overseeing operations. He misappropriated company funds for personal use, including travel, home renovations, and online shopping. Authorities also said a portion of the stolen money was directed to benefit James Mersing, a physician formerly employed by the practice.
Mersing, identified as a co-defendant, previously pled guilty in the case and received his sentence in October 2024. Ortiz was also ordered to pay over $692,000 in restitution to the defrauded medical group.
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The FBI led the investigation into the financial crimes, which ultimately resulted in Ortiz’s conviction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar and was overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh in Clarksburg.
Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of West Virginia
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