Marysville nurse suspended after defrauding 10 employees of over $106K

Jeanne Rather was sentenced to 2½ years in federal prison for stealing her employees’ personal information and using credit cards in their names.

Marysville

EVERETT — A former dialysis clinic manager from Marysville thought of the money she stole from her employees as a temporary loan: She’d be able to quickly pay them back before anyone noticed.

In a letter to a federal court judge, Jeanne Rather, 51, admitted to using at least 10 employees’ personal information to open new credit card accounts — spending over $106,000 in their names on plane tickets, hotel rooms and purchases for her personal business. She also stole over 20 checks, totaling about $98,500, from insurance companies intended for her employer. In total, Rather stole over $204,000.

“I felt the walls closing in around me when I could no longer afford either our house or car payment,” Rather wrote.

The state Department of Health suspended the license of the former nurse Friday for defrauding her employees at the dialysis clinics she managed in Skagit County. In December, the Board of Nursing suspended her license for at least five years. Rather had not responded to a statement of charges regarding her convictions of fraud and identity theft, according to the Department of Health.

In September 2019, Rather managed two clinics. She stole the identities of employees who worked under her and opened unauthorized credit card accounts at Capital One, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase & Co, according to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

In November 2019, Rather used Capital One credit cards opened in employees’ names to spend over $5,100 at Alaska Airlines. Rather also owned and operated the Pixie Fashion Outlet, an online clothing store. Credit card statements showed she bought from this store using her employees’ credit cards, essentially paying herself, according to court records.

Rather did not repay the credit card bills, the indictment said.

In January 2020, Rather faxed photocopies of her employees’ social security information to her house, using the information to open more credit card accounts, court papers said.

A federal grand jury indicted Rather in May 2021. Rather faced seven counts of bank fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

After Rather’s arraignment, U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida placed her on pretrial supervision in Texas. She stopped communicating with the court, court documents said. In January 2023, police arrested Rather and extradited her to Washington.

In May, U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour sentenced Rather to 2½ years in prison. Rather pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Rather had worked as a manager at the clinics for about 12 years, prosecutors wrote.

“As a registered nurse and manager, she likely had a higher salary than the subordinates she stole from,” assistant U.S. attorney Yunah Chung wrote in court papers. “Her victims likely suffered financial losses in the form of damaged credit status and and emotional distress causes by an increased sense of vulnerability.”

In a letter before sentencing, Rather apologized.

“I am ashamed I used my position of power to take advantage of these innocent people, I want to pay back every dollar I stole,” Rather wrote.

Rather had no previous criminal record.

Rather’s three children wrote letters in support of her.

“We’re always going to have this empty spot inside of us. Like that feeling that something is missing and we’ll never get to fill that hole,” her daughter wrote. “We’ve watched our dad pack a bag and leave and my mother was the one to stay and take care of us until he decided to come back. It has been really hard to accept that this has happened.”

As of this week, Rather was incarcerated at the minimum-security federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas.

Rather wrote that when she is released, she wants to “develop closer ties to the community,” volunteering at a local bank.

“My plans for the future include continuing my education in business management,” she wrote, “either while in prison or when I get out.”

Jonathan Tall: 425-339-3486; jonathan.tall@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @snocojon.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Fernando Espinoza salts the sidewalk along Fifth Avenue South on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Think this is cold, Snohomish County? Wait until Tuesday

Tuesday could bring dangerous wind chill during the day and an overnight low of 19 degrees

The Washington State Department of Licensing office is seen in 2018 in Seattle. (Sue Misao / The Herald)
Drivers licensing offices to close Feb. 14-17

Online services are also not available Feb. 10-17. The Washington State Department of Licensing said the move is necessary to upgrade software.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Pharmacist Nisha Mathew prepares a Pfizer COVID booster shot for a patient at Bartell Drugs on Broadway on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett lawmakers back universal health care bill, introduced in Olympia

Proponents say providing health care for all is a “fundamental human right.” Opponents worry about the cost of implementing it.

Outside of the updated section of Lake Stevens High School on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 in Lake Stevens, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lake Stevens, Arlington school measures on Feb. 11 ballot

A bond in Lake Stevens and a levy in Arlington would be used to build new schools.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.