The former CEO of a Wenatchee-based company that manages payments for health clinics across the state, including two serving the Mid-Columbia, has pleaded guilty to embezzling tens of millions of dollars from his firm. 

Patrick Alan Bucknum wrongfully took $30 million from Community Clinic Network (CCN) between 2017 and 2023, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.  

CCN’s clients include Pasco-based Columbia Basin Health Association and Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, which operates facilities in Kennewick and Pasco. 

Bucknum began stealing from CCN in April 2017 to invest in stocks, options and exchange-traded funds, having been influenced by aggressive trading strategies promoted via social media influencers. He originally intended to keep the profits from his trades and return the embezzled funds to CCN.  

“However, due to Bucknum’s poor trades, he lost the majority of the funds invested,” federal prosecutors said in a release. “As a result, Bucknum embezzled additional funds in an attempt to recover his losses.” 

Bucknum also used the embezzled funds to buy a truck, Tesla and boat and nearly $1.2 million worth of precious metal coins. He did end up returning about $7 million of what he stole back to the company prior to his guilty plea but the company still had a loss of more than $24 million 

As part of Bucknum’s plea, he will forfeit all the vehicles and coins he bought. He is scheduled to be formally sentenced in September.