The former president and CEO of Edgewater Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Peter Rogan, has returned to Chicago to face perjury and obstruction of justice charges stemming from the hospital's financial collapse in 2002, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Edgewater Hospital closed its doors in December 2001 and filed for bankruptcy a year later. Around the same time of the hospital's financial collapse, four physicians, a vice president and the hospital's management company pleaded guilty to federal criminal healthcare fraud charges that involved the payment of kickbacks for patient referrals and medically unnecessary hospital admissions and services.
In 2011, Mr. Rogan was charged with one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of perjury. The government claimed that Mr. Rogan performed fraudulent activity to thwart efforts by the government and a bank creditor to collect civil judgments totaling $188 million.
The government specifically alleged that from 2002 to 2010 Mr. Rogan conspired with his former attorney to impede collection efforts through the use of off-shore bank accounts. The government claimed Mr. Rogan's fraudulent action played a significant role in Edgewater's financial collapse.
To escape the charges brought against him, Mr. Rogan fled to Canada. Ending a four-year extradition fight, U.S. marshals in Canada took Mr. Rogan into custody last week. He pleaded not guilty in front of a U.S. district judge and was then ordered to remain in custody pending a detention hearing, according to the report.
Outside of court, Mr. Rogan's attorney said his client waived extradition to finally clear his name, according to the report.
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