May 29, 2008 7:47 pm US/Central
Ex-Hospital Owner Faces Criminal Charges
Former Operator Of Edgewater Hospital Accused Of Dodging Government Efforts To Collect Money
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Peter Rogan, the former owner and operator of Edgewater Hospital, faces criminal charges for dodging the government's efforts to collect money he allegedly ripped off in Medicare and Medicaid fraud schemes. (File)
CBS
He was found liable in a civil case for millions of dollars in Medicaid and Medicare fraud. Now the former owner and operator of Edgewater hospital faces criminal charges for dodging the government's efforts to collect the money.
CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman first reported how Edgewater doctors were performing unnecessary operations and has this follow up report.
Two years ago, Peter Rogan walked out of federal court with a $64 million dollar judgment against him from a civil case, but has never paid a dime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Gillogly said, "There's a $64 million judgment against Mr. Rogan and the government is intent on collecting."
Now Rogan is facing an indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice.
"In reisting the governments efforts to collect the money in that civil case," Gillogly said.
A civil case that detailed fraud at the now-closed Edgewater Hospital, including unnecessary heart procedures that killed at least one patient,
As we disclosed, another patient had a heart attack after she was given a cardiac implant she didn't need.
Former Edgewater patient Katherine Abair said, "I just can't believe that this happened in this time. I thought there was more protection for the patient."
Back then, the government charged, Rogan was using patients as pawns to collect millions from Edgewater.
Now the government says Rogan lied about his control over some of the $35 million in assets stashed in off-shore trust accounts. Records show he's spent millions on personal expenses, other debts and luxuries items, including "to pay for the care and maintenance of a boat called 'The Fringe Benefit,'" Gillogly said.
There are no fringe benefits right now for Rogan. He's been detained by immigration officials in Canada where he's lived for two years after he was denied re-entry following a trip to China.
He could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison on the criminal indictment returned in Chicago.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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