On Monday, Sharon M. Helman, 45, of Surprise, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to only a term of two years’ probation. Helman previously pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a government agency, a felony offense.
“The FBI recognizes and appreciates the tremendous sacrifice and service our veterans have made for our country. With this in mind, we conducted a thorough and extensive investigation of the allegations surrounding the Phoenix VA. Our investigation revealed that the former director of the Phoenix VA Medical Center failed to report gifts as required under federal law and this outcome holds the defendant accountable,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael D. Deleon.
Helman was director of the Phoenix VA hospital from February 2012 to December 2014. Federal law required Helman to annually complete and file a financial disclosure report and to disclose, among many other things, gifts received during the applicable calendar year. In March 2014, Helman submitted a financial disclosure in which she falsely reported that she received no gifts during 2013. That report was false because during 2013 Helman had, in fact, received gifts totaling more than $19,300. The gifts included an automobile, a check for $5,000, concert tickets, and two round-trip airline tickets.
Helman also filed a false report for 2012, failing to report four gifts of a total value of more than $2,000. Furthermore, although she did not file a financial disclosure report for 2014, Helman received six gifts valued at more than $27,700 between January 2 and July 1 of that year.
All of the gifts were from a former high-level VA employee who once served as Helman’s supervisor. During 2012-2014, that person was an executive consultant, and later vice president, of a consulting and lobbying firm that assisted companies in expanding their business with the VA. Had Helman properly reported the gifts and their source, the VA would have done a conflict-of-interest analysis to determine whether her acceptance of the gifts was permitted under applicable laws and regulations.