2 employees sentenced in mental health clinic fraud

PHILADELPHIA – Two former employees of a non-profit mental health clinic have been sentenced for their roles in helping a member of a politically connected Philadelphia family who was convicted of defrauding the clinic out of more than $1 million.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that 72-year-old Sandy Acosta was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and 48-year-old Amalia Rodriguez was sentenced to six months in prison Monday.

The two pleaded guilty to charges including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for helping Renee Tartaglione defraud the Juniata Community Mental Health Clinic while she was the landlord and president of its board of directors.

Tartaglione is the daughter of ex-City Commissioner Marge Tartaglione and sister of state Sen. Christine Tartaglione.

Messages left for the women’s lawyers were not immediately returned Tuesday.