Two former executives of a Springfield-based health care charity have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a multimillion-dollar scheme that included embezzlement and bribes paid to public officials in Arkansas.
Bontiea Bernadette Goss, 65, and her husband, Tommy Ray Goss, 68, are the former COO and CEO of Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc. Bontiea Goss was sentenced to three years in prison on April 25, and Tommy Goss was sentenced to six years in prison on April 29, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Western District of Missouri.
The sentencing stems from plea agreements they made in 2022, according to the release. Both of the Gosses pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay bribes and kickbacks to elected officials in Arkansas. Tommy Goss pleaded guilty to embezzling funds from Preferred Family Healthcare, and to aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false tax return.
As part of the agreement, they were also ordered to pay $4.35 million in forfeiture and/or restitution.
Preferred Family Healthcare in 2022 agreed to pay more than $8 million to the federal government and the state of Arkansas under terms of a non-prosecution agreement.
The Gosses bribed and offered kickbacks to the elected Arkansas officials to receive favorable legislative and official action, including the direction of money from the state’s General Improvement Fund to the business, according to court records. The charity provided mental and behavioral health treatment and counseling, employment assistance, aid for people with developmental disabilities and other medical services.
The investigation into the charity covers activity from more than a decade ago, and has resulted in guilty pleas from four other employees of the charity, three former Arkansas lawmakers and a political consultant.
