Former CPA Sentenced to Federal Prison for Laundering Funds Stolen from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

ATLANTA - Ronald Deabler was sentenced to serve four years in prison following his federal conviction for conspiring to launder $5.3 million of fraud proceeds stolen from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc.

"Deabler used his knowledge of the banking system to launder millions of dollars stolen from a not-for-profit pediatric healthcare system that is dedicated to the welfare of Georgia's infants, children, and teens," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Scammers, swindlers, and thieves who target our vital healthcare institutions, and their associates who launder stolen money, will face the full consequences of their actions."

"Criminals who steal from a children's hospital are not just committing financial fraud-they are exploiting an institution that exists to care for vulnerable children and support their families," said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "Deabler chose to use his financial expertise to help conceal and distribute millions of dollars stolen from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. This sentence demonstrates that anyone who profits from these schemes will face serious consequences."

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In early June 2023, a hacker gained access to the email system of a commercial furniture vendor for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). Pretending to be one of the vendor's employees, the unknown hacker contacted CHOA and updated the vendor's bank account information on file with CHOA for ACH payments. The bank account information provided was, in actuality, for Deabler's bank account. On or about June 13, 2023, the hacker directed CHOA to wire $5.3 million into Deabler's bank account.

Deabler, a business owner and former Certified Public Accountant, agreed to distribute the stolen money in exchange for a commission. Shortly after the $5.3 million was deposited into his account, Deabler opened a second bank account into which he attempted to move the entire proceeds of the fraud. When the bank prevented him from doing so, Deabler instead transferred more than $1 million to the new account. Deabler then converted approximately $3.5 million of the fraud proceeds into four cashier's checks that he promptly mailed to individuals and entities as directed by the hacker.

CHOA and its vendor detected the fraud within a few days after the transfer of funds. CHOA then notified its bank, which traced the funds to Deabler's bank account. Further tracing of the proceeds resulted in the recovery of approximately $4 million from Deabler's accounts and the bank accounts that received Deabler's cashier's checks.

On July 22, 2026, Ronald Deabler, 66, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to four years in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $682,860. Deabler was found guilty by a jury on February 12, 2026.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys Tracia M. King and Phyllis Clerk prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.