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…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.