A respiratory therapist at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Seattle pleaded guilty to theft of government property. Gene Wamsley, 41, of Bonney Lake, Washington, admitted stealing a ventilator and other respiratory medical equipment in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and selling it for his own gain. According to records filed in the case, the investigation began in January 2020 when VAMC reported two bronchoscopes, used for examining a patient’s airway, went missing from the hospital. A third bronchoscope was reported missing in April 2020. In all, Wamsley admits stealing and selling three bronchoscopes worth over $100,000 for just $15,750. Wamsley sold the scopes to a Florida resident via eBay. When Wamsley’s home was searched in June, law enforcement seized a fourth bronchoscope and a $6,000 sleep apnea device called a WatchPat that had been stolen from the VA Medical Center. Further investigation revealed that in April 2020, Wamsley also stole a $9,950 respirator and sold it via eBay to an Ohio man for just $6,000. The total loss to the United States from the thefts is $132,291.
