WENATCHEE, Wash. — A former health care executive in North Central Washington has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after prosecutors say he siphoned tens of millions of dollars from his company over several years to fund risky investments and personal purchases.
Patrick Alan Bucknum, 55, formerly of Wenatchee, pleaded guilty June 24, 2026, in the Eastern District of Washington to one count of wire fraud, United States Attorney Pete Serrano said.
Bucknum was the chief executive officer of Community Clinic Network, a Wenatchee-based company that managed health care payment contracts for a conglomerate of health care clinics across Washington, according to court documents.
Prosecutors say that beginning in April 2017, Bucknum devised a scheme to take money from CCN’s business bank accounts and attempted to invest it in stocks, options, and exchange-traded funds.
Court documents say Bucknum…
This remains the most prevalent form of financial crime globally. It targets the direct access points to your money: your cards and your bank accounts.
- Skimming: Criminals use small devices called “skimmers” placed over ATM or point-of-sale card slots to capture the data from your card’s magnetic strip.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud: This occurs during online shopping where a physical card isn’t required. Thieves use stolen card numbers, expiry dates, and CVV codes to make unauthorized purchases.
- Account Takeover (ATO): A hacker gains access to your online banking credentials (often through malware or phishing) and changes the contact details or passwords, locking you out while they drain your funds.
