The US Attorney’s Office for Eastern WA announced on Friday, September 26th. that the former CEO of a Wenatchee-based healthcare company will spend 48 months in Federal prison, and pay a huge restitution.

   The Former CEO Bilked Around  $24 Million Over Six Years

First Assistant US Attorney Pete Serrano and Office Officials said in the release 55-year-old Patrick Allan Bucknum served as CEO for Community Clinic Network (CCN) based in Wenatchee.

The company operates 11 clinics statewide, many of them focused on serving farmworkers and lower income clients.

    Bucknum Embezzled Millions to Cover Bad Investments

Between 2017 and 2023, Bucknum stole the money, which he used to pay off some controversial investments. He told authorities he figured out how to steal the money from CCN’s bank accounts and other financials. He would then utilize profits from that money he invested in stocks and options.

He planned to return the embezzled money to CCN, and keep the profits from the investments for himself.  He used it as ‘seed’ money. But due to a series of risky and bad investments, some of which he said were prompted by ads and programs he saw on social media, his debts spiraled out of control.

 Bucknam Did Return $7 million to the Company, But Lost Much More

Court papers show his total losses, money from the company, were nearly $30 million, minus the $7 million he did return.  He was able to use his backround experience in accounting and finance to hide the losses for years.  The Court ordered he pay over $24 million in restitution, and he also had to surrender a truck, Tesla, a boat, gold coins he had bought, and all the money in his bank account.