Chicago-area doctor had $248K in unauthorized expenses

CHICAGO (AP) - A doctor in the Chicagoland area racked up more than $248,000 in unauthorized spending, according to a report.

Bala Hota “fraudulently” claimed the expenses were work-related and benefited the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, according to a January report from the Cook County Inspector General’s office.

An investigation into the spending began in 2013 when the county found irregularities while reviewing the Hektoen Salary Reallocation Account, which reimburses Cook County hospital employees with grant money for time spent supporting grant-related activities, The Chicago Tribune reported .

The initial review covered September 2011 through August 2012. An expanded audit covered January 2011 through Feb. 14, 2013.

“This wrongdoing was uncovered in a routine audit and we moved quickly in notifying the Office of the Inspector General. Our audit process worked exactly as it is designed to,” said Caryn Stancik, the hospital systems’ executive director of communications.

Hota spent the money on items such as meals, plane tickets, clothing, iTunes purchases, a radar detector, a piano, designer accessories and a “Star Wars” toy, the Inspector General’s office said.

The county sought reimbursement and referred the matter to the state for review and disciplinary action, according to the report. The county updated its policy for the fund in December 2015 by adding more levels of approval for expenses.

Cook County hired Hota in 2002. He resigned in 2014 amid the investigation.

Hota repaid the money last year. He has not been criminally charged or disciplined by the state.

Hota declined to comment.

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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com