D.A.: Main Line Health boss stole $14G in car repairs
A former director of emergency medical services and transfer center operations at Main Line Health is accused of stealing more than $14,000 worth of car repairs for his personal vehicle between May 2014 and October 2017.
Christopher Knaff, 56, of the 100 block of Rambling Way in Springfield, is charged with theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and receiving stolen property, all felonies of the first degree, as well as a misdemeanor offense of tampering with records, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by Delaware County Detective John A. Hoffner.
“Mr. Knaff took advantage of his position of authority, breaching the trust of his employer of more than 20 years, by stealing thousands of dollars in order to service and repair his own personal vehicle,” said Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland. “We commend Main Line Health system and their security personnel for reporting this fraudulent activity and recognize their continued partnership to provide quality care for our residents.”
Knaff, who had been employed with Main Line Health since 2007, was fired Feb. 15, according to the affidavit. He had also previously worked for the system for 10 years, starting in 1995.
Hoffner and Detective Brian Patterson met with the health care system’s director of internal audits in July, who stated that she was made aware of unusual invoices in Knaff’s office after he was terminated, the affidavit says.
An employee of Riddle’s paramedic unit who maintains vehicle repair records for the hospital found two bills for a 2010 Mercury Mountaineer and recognized that the vehicle was not among the Riddle fleet, according to the affidavit. The employee investigated and found the car was registered to Knaff, the affidavit says.
The director of internal audits reviewed invoices going back to 2012 and discovered Garnet Ford, which has an account with Riddle Memorial Hospital, had performed more than $13,781 worth of work on the Mountaineer on 13 different occasions, according to the affidavit. Knaff also allegedly purchased more than $457 worth of auto parts for his car using the Main Line Health account, bringing the total to $14,238.
The affidavit states that as director, Knaff was responsible for maintaining EMS vehicles for Main Line Health. Knaff had allegedly approved all of the work on his Mountaineer under a purchase order for “Blanket repair of Ford Amb,” leading anyone who reviewed the order to believe it was for one or more ambulances, according to the affidavit.
Hoffner said he also interviewed the Garnet Ford employee who handles the Riddle account and who dealt with Knaff every time he came in between 2014 and 2018. The Garnet Ford employee told Hoffner that Knaff first came in sometime in 2014 for work on a vehicle and that the employee assumed it was for a Riddle EMS vehicle.
The employee said he kept a record of all Riddle EMS vehicle repair bills that he would give Knaff whenever he came in. The last time the employee saw Knaff, sometime in 2018, he said the defendant told him he was going to pay a bill for his vehicle because he was no longer working at Riddle, according to the affidavit.
Knaff was preliminarily arraigned Monday before Magisterial District Judge Diane M. Holefelder, who set bail at $50,000 unsecured. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 6 before Magisterial District Judge Walter A. Strohl.
Knaff is represented by defense attorney Art Donato. A call to Donato Tuesday was not returned by press time.