Montefiore Health System announced on Friday that 12,517 patients had personal information compromised by a former employee between January 2013 and June 2013.

Stolen were names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, next of kin information, and health insurance details.

A former employee with New York-based Montefiore Medical Center was indicted along with seven others on Friday. The employees used the information to purchase thousands of dollars in goods at retailers and department stores throughout Manhattan.

Monique Walker, a former assistant clerk in one of the hospital wings, allegedly printed the personal information daily and passed it along to a codefendant for as little as $3 per record.

The leader of the operation, Fernando Salazar, is accused of purchasing at least 250 pieces of information from Walker and distributing it to others who allegedly used the information to open credit card accounts and purchase gift cards at a variety of locations, including Barneys New York, Macy's, Victoria's Secret, Zales, Bergdorf Goodman, and Lord & Taylor.

Indicted were Walker, Salazar, Patricia Charles, Lawrence Davenport-Brown, Charde Lawrence, Ashly Garrett, Sasha Rivera, and Crystal White. All have been charged with numerous crimes including grand larceny in the second and third degrees, identity theft in the first degree, and criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree.

As with most identity theft crimes, Montefiore Health System is notifying all potentially affected patients, and is offering them identity theft protection and credit monitoring services.

Source: SCMagazine