PITTSBURGH — A Texas man has admitted he stole nearly $850,000 from a Pittsburgh-based health care giant where he worked by arranging to hire his wife and a friend as ghost workers.

Federal prosecutors say 48-year-old Ronald Locy faces up to a decade in prison after pleading guilty last week to embezzlement in connection with health care.

Locy, of Georgetown, Texas, was the senior director in the claims department for UPMC Health Plan.

Prosecutors say Locy’s wife received more than $785,000 from 2005 to 2013 even though she never worked for the health plan.

Authorities say bogus documents, including performance reviews, were entered into the health plan’s database because of Locy.

Another person was placed on the payroll for $61,000.