EAST ORANGE, N.J. (WCBS 880) -- An ex-pharmacy technician admitted to stealing prescription HIV medication from a veterans affairs pharmacy in New Jersey, officials said.
Lisa Hoffman, 49, of Orange, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to an indictment that charged her with theft of government property.
Court documents said from October 2015 through November 2019, Hoffman was a procurement officer for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in East Orange.
Officials said Hoffman used her position to order medication for the outpatient pharmacy, which included large amounts of an HIV medication.
Hospital surveillance footage showed Hoffman taking dozens of bottles of HIV medications from the pharmacy shelves and putting them in her bag.
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Hoffman admitted in court to stealing the medication and selling them to Wagner Checonolasco, 34 of Lyndhurst, in exchange for cash.
According to federal officials — the amount stolen was worth about $10 million.
Checonolasco had previously admitted to conspiring with Hoffman.
According to an FBI release, theft of government property carries a max sentence of 10 years in prison with a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain/loss, whichever is greatest.
Checonolasco will be sentenced on Dec. 15, while Hoffman will be sentenced March 9.