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January 27, 2006

Roger Williams Medical Center reaches deal on corruption charges

PROVIDENCE -- Three weeks after being indicted on federal corruption charges, Roger Williams Medical Center has agreed to a deal with prosecutors to resolve the case.

Under a deferred prosecution agreement filed today in federal court, Roger Williams acknowledges that the government has sufficient evidence to prove that hospital executives Robert A. Urciuoli and Frances P. Driscoll broke the law in hiring a former state senator, John A. Celona, as a consultant.

The hospital also agreed to cooperate with the government in its continuing case against Urciuoli and Driscoll, who are charged along with business partner Peter Sangermano with conspiracy and mail fraud.

The hospital has also agreed to provide $4 million in free health care to the community, above what it currently provides, strengthen corporate ethics, train employees in ethics and hire an executive ethics officer.

If Roger Williams complies with the conditions of the agreement, the federal government will file a motion to dismiss the charges in two years.

If at any time the government is not satisfied with the hospital’s compliance, prosecutors can either extend the time period or reinstate the criminal charges contained in a 38-count indictment alleging the theft of Celona’s honest services.

The prosecutors also agreed to recommend to the federal government that Roger Williams not be disbarred from federal health-care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.

The deal was announced late this morning by U.S. Atty. Robert Clark Corrente.

-- Journal staff writer Mike Stanton

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 11:50 AM | Permalink