Top administrator of rural Texas hospital chain gets 24 months for defrauding government

Joe White has never looked the part of a businessman who fleeced $18 million from the federal government. Consider the wrinkled suits, cheap wire-rim glasses and the pickup he drove, say folks who’ve known the former hospital chain administrator for decades.

Those friends – including the mayor and others in high places from the town of Cameron – packed a federal courtroom in Tyler to paint a more generous profile, citing his work as a Church of Christ elder, devoted father, EMS volunteer and former Town Council member.

“I’ve known Joe for 40 years,’’ said Cameron Mayor Connie Anderle, “and I’ve never known him to do anything illegal or immoral.’’

They pleaded for mercy. They got it, too.

Judge Michael Schneider handed down a 23-month prison sentence to White for defrauding the federal government of economic stimulus dollars while working as top administrator for Dr. Tariq Mahmood. Mahmood was the flashy owner of a chain of slum-like rural Texas hospitals.

Read more: http://watchdogblog.dallasnews.com/2015/06/top-administrator-of-rural-texas-hospital-chain-gets-24-months-for-defrauding-government.html/


Related threads (in reverse chronological order)
Dallas slumlord hospital chain owner gets 11 years for health-care fraud
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107825509

Associate of Dallas-area hospital slumlord owner Tariq Mahmood pleads guilty to lying
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107822026

Hospital Slumlord Update: Jurors find Texas hospital chain owner guilty on all 15 counts
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107819747

Hospital Slumlord Update: Workers testify that hospitals’ owner interfered in billing
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107819685

Hospital slumlord: Owner of failed Texas hospital chain rescinds deal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107818030

Indicted owner of Texas hospital chain to plead guilty to fraud conspiracy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107817949

Loss of East Texas town’s hospital (due to Medicare billing fraud) hits home after toddler chokes
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107812403

FBI investigating recent document destruction at Cameron hospital
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107810860

In rare move, sheriff takes control of Central Texas Hospital; effort aimed at protecting community
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107810599

Other links are available at this newspaper article:
http://watchdogblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/18-million-to-reward-unsafe-hospitals-alarm-in-congress.html/

The most critical article is this:
http://www.dallasnews.com/investigations/headlines/20130713-patients-died-amid-federal-state-regulatory-inaction.ec