Scrushy Challenges Secret Gov't Recordings

[seemslikeadream]

Saturday December 11, 2004
Scrushy Challenges Secret Gov't Recordings
By JAY REEVES


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Lawyers for Richard Scrushy want to keep jurors from hearing secret recordings that prosecutors say link the fired HealthSouth Corp. CEO to massive fraud at the rehabilitation giant.

....

Prosecutors contend Scrushy led a scheme to overstate HealthSouth earnings by some $2.6 billion to meet Wall Street expectations. Scrushy, who is free on $10 million bond, pleaded not guilty and blamed the scheme on subordinates led by Owens.


....

In the recordings, made using a hidden digital transmitting device and a recording receiver, Scrushy and Owens are heard discussing phony financial statements at HealthSouth and what to do about investigators closing in on the scheme.

"I hate to go down there and just give the keys to them," Scrushy is heard saying in what prosecutors contend was a reference to keeping the fraud secret.

....

Bruce Koenig, a former FBI agent who owns BEK TEK of Clifton, Va., said the recordings are full of stops and starts _ faults that make it difficult to know whether parts of conversations are missing. In one case, he said, a car radio is heard playing at a loud volume while people are talking.

....

Separately, Scrushy's lawyers filed motions challenging the government's bid to keep jurors from hearing some evidence, including testimony about Scrushy's community work and religious beliefs.

After the HealthSouth fraud made headlines, Scrushy and his wife began hosting a five-day-a-week local television show that often includes ministers discussing their interpretations of the Bible.
more
http://durantdemocrat.com/articles/2004/12/10/ap/business/d86tm9b80.txt

[Octafish]

1. Doctors who also are businessmen make me sick.

This Scrushy fellow is a big Bushler supporter, so you know Doctor Frist the Catkiller isn't far away. Is Tom Frist Jr. his big brother? Money money money!

Columbia eyes spin-off

Health giant looking to put some hospitals into separate company

November 11, 1997: 7:45 a.m. ET

NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., the nation's largest for-profit health chain, is reportedly considering spinning off about a third of its 340 hospitals into a separate public company.

SNIP...

The move to stem Columbia's rapid growth comes as the federal government is conducting a major Medicare fraud investigation of the company. In contrast to the rapid expansion seen under former chief executive Richard Scott, Columbia's new CEO Dr. Thomas F. Frist Jr. and president Jack Bovender have recently said they would like to pare down the $20 billion health care company built under Scott to a more manageable size.

SNIP...

HealthSouth chairman and chief executive Richard Scrushy told the newspaper he and Frist have talked informally about a deal, although no offer has been made.

Scrushy said he is considering a variety of possible ventures with Columbia/HCA including joint control of Columbia hospitals in some markets. However, he said he is not interested in purchasing Columbia.

Scrushy wrote Columbia's board in July saying he was interesting in buying Columbia/HCA for up to $45 a share. That offer was withdrawn in August.

SOURCE:

http://www.moneymag.com/1997/11/11/companies/columbia/

Doctors who must make money before they will treat people are big-time NAZI parasites.

[TahitiNut]

2. Your sickness is their profit.

It's all in accord with their Hypocritical Oath. (... and pact with the Devil.)

[Octafish]

3. Here's to Your Health!

Whatever happened to people getting into the health care professions for idealism?

Frist -- and Scrouchebag or whatever his name is -- are doctors dedicated to the principal of making a buck first. I have a problem with that because, to me, medicine is more than a business. It's doing God's work. People who don't see it that way aren't the best doctors -- and that's not a real doctor.

Edit: removed picture of Frist's hero, Herr Doktor Josef M.