A federal investigation continues to play out in Butler County with agents seeking information about Scott and Stephanie Roskovski.

The Center Township residents have strong ties to the county: Scott was a 20-year detective with the county and his wife, Stephanie, was a high-ranking official with Butler Health System.

The specific nature and scope of the probe remains unclear, but on Tuesday Butler Health System issued a statement confirming that hospital officials last year had reported suspected financial malfeasance to federal and state authorities.

Last week, investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Treasury were in the county to speak with District Attorney Richard Goldinger.

The Aug. 9 meeting was held at Goldinger's office.

“They told me there's a federal investigation and they wanted to confirm some information with me,” Goldinger said Tuesday. “Their questions of me were regarding Scott, only.”

But later, he acknowledged, Stephanie Roskovski's name came up.

On Tuesday her former employer, Butler Health System, confirmed why — acknowledging that the organization last year had uncovered “evidence suggesting the hospital's former COO had been misappropriating administrative funds,” and notified state and federal investigators.

Stephanie Roskovski was not named directly in the system's statement, but her involvement was confirmed Tuesday by a person with knowledge of the system's internal investigation.

Attempts to reach the Roskovskis Tuesday were unsuccessful. It was unclear if either had an attorney.

Roskovski joined BHS in 1994 as director of Community Health Planning and ultimately was appointed the system's chief operating officer on April 22, 2012.

She was suspended by BHS on July 10, 2017, and terminated Aug. 4, 2017, according to a BHS spokesman. BHS' Tuesday statement said that evidence of the alleged fraud was uncovered in “mid-2017.”

She was subsequently hired by Highmark as vice president of integrated delivery and finance system, clinical initiatives and strategic projects, but only served in that capacity from September 2017 through March of this year, when a Highmark spokesman said she “left the company.”

BHS declined Tuesday to provide specific information on the nature and scope of the alleged fraud — though the system noted that it “did not involve patient cash, co-pays, patient accounts, medical billing or insurance fraud, including Medicare.”

In a brief statement on the matter, BHS said it “responded immediately” and conducted an internal investigation. The system then “notified and provided information to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Office of Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

It remained unclear Tuesday how many federal agencies are involved in the investigation into the Roskovskis. Goldinger initially was expecting an FBI agent to attend his meeting with federal agents last week; however, that agent did not show up because he was called away by other business.

The meeting came several weeks after Goldinger's office was issued a subpoena seeking information about Scott Roskovski's employment.

The subpoena from the U.S. Attorney's Office was served in mid-June for Roskovski's “work records,” Goldinger said.

“They wanted his time sheets, dating back a number of years,” Goldinger said.

He contacted Lori Altman, the county's director of human resources, who gathered the requested documents.

At last week's meeting, an inspector with the U.S. Postal Service and a special agent with the IRS criminal investigation division under the Department of Treasury came with questions for the district attorney about Scott Roskovski.

“They had information they wanted to confirm (or refute),” he said. “They wanted me to advise if it was feasible or accurate, the information they had.”

During the meeting, he said, the investigators raised questions about the finances of Scott and Stephanie Roskovski.

“They brought up certain things (the Roskoviskis) had purchased, expenses they incurred, trips, whatever,” he said.

Scott Roskovski's Switchback MX racetrack on Route 8 in Clay Township was also mentioned.

“They were very vague,” he said of the agents' inquiry of the couple's finances. “They were there for one reason, to talk about Scott.”

He also apparently did not draw any conclusions about those questions.

“I just presumed (Stephanie) did well financially,” he said.” I thought she was paid well by the hospital.”

In 2015, Stephanie Roskovski received $470,656 in total compensation from BHS in her role as the system's COO, according to tax filings, which were the most recent available.

Goldinger's meeting with federal agents last week lasted between 45 minutes and an hour. He said the investigators kept their cards close to the vest.

“They said, 'We can't tell you much because there's an ongoing investigation,'” he recalled.

Goldinger said he did not inquire further.

“The less I know,” he said, “the better.”

The postal inspector at the meeting declined to comment Tuesday. He referred all questions to Margaret Philbin, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh.

Philbin would neither confirm nor deny an investigation. The Justice Department typically does not comment on ongoing investigations.

The Treasury agent at the meeting did not return a telephone call Tuesday.

Goldinger over the weekend fired Scott Roskovski from his job as a county detective.

He admitted the decision came after he learned of “new information” about the ongoing federal investigation.

Before that, Roskovski had informed the district attorney of his decision to retire.

An email from Roskovski to Goldinger, which the Butler Eagle obtained through a right-to-know request, stated, “I have made plans to retire August 17, 2018 and therefor (sic) give my 2 weeks notice today, Aug. 3, 2018.”

Goldinger rejected that request and terminated Roskovski's employment.

Stephanie Roskovski's employment at Butler Health System.1994 — Hired by BHS as director of Community Health Planning.2002 — Named a member of Butler Memorial Hospital's administrative team.April 22, 2012 — Named BHS chief operating officer.July 10, 2017 — Suspended by BHS.Aug. 4, 2017 — Terminated by BHS.September 2017 — Hired by Highmark as vice president, integrated delivery and finance system clinical initiatives and strategic projects.March 2018 — Leaves Highmark.

Here is the full statement provided by Butler Health System to the Butler Eagle on Tuesday regarding suspected financial malfeasance allegedly committed by former Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Roskovski:In mid-2017, Butler Health System discovered evidence of a fraud committed by a single individual against the hospital. The evidence suggested the hospital's former COO had been misappropriating administrative funds. BHS responded immediately, ensuring the situation had no impact on its ability to provide first-rate healthcare to Butler and the communities BHS serves. BHS completed a thorough internal investigation and then notified and provided information to the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The alleged misappropriation of funds did not involve patient cash, co-pays, patient accounts, medical billing or insurance fraud, including Medicare.Since then, BHS has appointed several new executives and strengthened safeguards to prevent such an event from happening again. Through the tremendous dedication of its physicians and employees, BHS's stellar performance has continued, including its financial strength and stability. IBM Watson Health recently recognized BHS as a Top 100 Hospital in the U.S.