A former West Virginia state health official, Timothy Priddy, has been sentenced to one year of probation for making a false statement to investigators regarding vendor invoices for COVID-19 tests. Priddy, 49, pleaded guilty to lying about verifying invoices from a company that conducted COVID-19 tests for the state as part of a back-to-school program.
The indictment, filed in October, revealed that Priddy falsely claimed to have verified the vendor's invoices before approving them, although he had not made any verification efforts. Priddy, who held managerial positions with the state Bureau for Public Health, resigned on the day the indictment was announced.
Prosecutors disclosed that federal investigators were examining whether vendors providing COVID-19 tests to the state had overbilled or received improper federal payments. One vendor, approved by Priddy for payments exceeding $34 million, reported results for 49,000 COVID-19 tests but invoiced for 518,000 test kits.
The vendor, based out of state, provided test kits, laboratory analysis, and community testing events in West Virginia. Vendors were required to report accurate test results to help officials track COVID-19 infections and hot spots.
The West Virginia Health Department confirmed that its contract with the vendor ended in October 2022 and cooperated with federal investigators. U.S. Attorney Will Thompson stated that Priddy's false statements were not to protect the vendor but to conceal his own negligence.
Thompson emphasized that questions remain about the legitimacy of the vendor's invoices, but there is no evidence that Priddy's actions were intended to benefit the vendor's business. The case underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in managing public health resources.
