Cincinnati health inspector fired for issuing phony restaurant licenses
A former Cincinnati Health Department employee accused of taking cash from restaurants in exchange for fraudulent food licenses has been fired for misconduct including dishonesty and neglect of duty.
Court records show that Lisa McGiveron, 57, was indicted Feb. 29 on felony charges of theft in office, tampering with records and forgery. She faces up to three years in prison on the theft and tampering with records charges. Forgery is punishable by up to 18 months.
McGiveron, of Fairfield, has pleaded not guilty. Her attorney, Courtney DiVincenzo, declined to comment, saying she doesn't comment on pending cases.
McGiveron was fired on Dec. 7, officials said.
'I am saddened by this case'
The city of Cincinnati inspects restaurants, and as part of that process issues licenses to operate. McGiveron was one of the employees tasked with overseeing licenses and conducting inspections.
A lot about what happened isn't known because police and city officials have declined to talk about details while the criminal case is pending. No one has said how many restaurants McGiveron targeted or how much money changed hands and what that's meant for the restaurants.
Court documents say the fraudulent transactions took place between February 2023 and Dec. 6, 2023. The indictment says the cash totaled between $7,500 and $150,000.
“It is important the public knows that we take our commitment to the integrity of our program and serving our community’s needs very seriously,” Health Commissioner Dr. Grant Mussman said in a statement.
The investigation showed that McGiveron was the only employee involved, Mussman said.
“I am saddened by this case, but it is important to stress that this instance does not reflect the values of the hundreds of employees in this department who do not waver in their dedication to our community," he said.
Helping the restaurant victims
McGiveron earned $75,549 a year, city records show.
In response to the investigation into McGiveron, the city sent a letter and email to its list of current and closed food operators, including restaurants and grocery stores, according to Mollie Lair, a city spokeswoman. Businesses that paid cash to McGiveron were not penalized for the previous cash payments and were not required to pay again for a valid license.
Licenses must be renewed by March 1, so businesses have since gone through the yearly licensing process and all licenses are current.
Officials have declined to talk specifically about the allegations – including how many restaurants were targeted or paid – but stressed a single employee does not reflect "the values or dedication of the Health Department."
"The city was swift in its response to and investigation of these allegations, working closely with the Law Department and Cincinnati Police, ultimately resulting in the prosecution of this individual," Lair said.
McGiveron is the second city employee to be charged this year. A recreation employee was indicted on misdemeanor charges of child endangering.
McGiveron hired in 2019
McGiveron was hired by Cincinnati’s health department in 2019. A report that year said she came to the department from Hamilton County Public Health. The Enquirer has requested but not received a copy of her personnel file from the city.
She previously worked as a supervisor for the county health department in Lansing, Michigan. McGiveron resigned from her Michigan job in 2017. The agency, in responding to a Freedom of Information Act request, did not provide any documents that describe the reason or reasons for her resignation.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers said in a statement that one of the most important functions of her office is to be a watchdog for the government.
"When government employees break the law, they should be held accountable, just as anyone else," Powers said. "These kinds of corruption issues matter to our community. In this case, you have a government employee exploiting small businesses for her own gain. She used her position of power as an inspector to enrich herself. When we take our families out to eat, we should feel confident in the safety of our food, not worried that the people doing inspections were more interested in taking cash than doing their job properly."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: City health inspector fired for issuing phony restaurant licenses
