No Halo News · Sourced development
Former Help for Animals manager pleaded guilty to laundering money he admitted embezzling from the nonprofit clinic
On September 28, Jerod Timothy Vannatter pleaded guilty to federal money laundering and admitted embezzling $624,599.86 from Help for Animals Inc., a Barboursville nonprofit veterinary clinic. Prosecutors said he used unearned checks and false vendor invoices to divert clinic funds between approximately October 2022 and December 2024. Sentencing is scheduled for February 16, 2027, and restitution remains due.
Status matters. This page records a sourced development, not a completed No Halo investigation. An allegation is not a finding. Dismissals, settlements, judgments, corrections and final outcomes remain distinct.
Donor relevance
Why this matters
The admitted theft represents a substantial loss for a regional low-cost veterinary provider and raises donor-relevant questions about financial access, segregation of duties and board oversight. The guilty plea and restitution order provide stronger evidence than an unresolved allegation, although sentencing and recovery remain pending.
Attribution
Who reported or established this
The guilty plea, admitted loss and description of the scheme were announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office based on court documents and statements made in court. WSAZ identified the affected clinic as Help for Animals and reported comments from its current management.
Evidence limits
What remains unverified
No Halo has not independently audited the clinic's accounts, calculated the full operational damage, determined how much restitution is recoverable or assessed whether additional people knew of the scheme. No Halo also has not verified the clinic manager's reported estimate that the organization was left approximately $200,000 in the red.
Right of reply
Organization response
Current clinic manager Vicki Graham told WSAZ that the organization was blindsided, staff worked to keep services operating and additional safeguards against embezzlement had been introduced. Clinic representatives said they intended to continue serving animals and the public.
Classification
How No Halo records this event
Event type: Conviction. Current state: Pending. No Halo preserves the current procedural state rather than treating every mention as a finding.
Published September 28, 2026 · Last verified October 1, 2026. See an error or a later outcome? Submit a correction or right of reply.