ME Manager Admits Theft Of WTC $

A top Medical Examiner's Office manager pleaded guilty Oct. 30 to Federal charges of embezzlement and conspiracy for stealing millions of dollars in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

Natarajan Venkataram was the Medical Examiner's Director of Management Information Systems for 13 years and oversaw co-defendant and former Director of Records Rosa Abreu, who plead guilty to similar charges Oct. 23. The two were charged with steering $13 million in agency funds, much of which originated from FEMA grants, to three firms headed by a third conspirator between 1999 and 2005. That individual then transferred large sums to shell companies created by Ms. Abreu and Mr. Venkataram.

Much of the FEMA money to which Ms. Abreu and Mr. Venkataram had access was meant to help the office identify victims of the World Trade Center attacks.

Mr. Venkataram pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and misapplication of funds, 14 counts of money-laundering and one count of conspiracy. He will be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2008 and faces up to 295 years behind bars. Ms. Abreu will be sentenced on Jan. 23, 2008 and faces up to 75 years in prison.