Former Hospital CFO Pleads Guilty

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM ROE, 56, of Archbald, Pennsylvania, formerly of Wilton, Connecticut, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to one count of wire fraud stemming from a scheme to defraud two hospitals where he was employed of approximately $200,000.

According to court documents and statements made in court, ROE was employed as chief financial officer (“CFO”) of St. Rita’s Hospital in Lima, Ohio, from 2006 through early 2009, and as CFO of Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Connecticut, from early 2009 through August 2010. ROE also created a company called Cycle Software Solutions. Beginning in July 2008 and continuing for approximately two years, ROE used Cycle Software Solutions to defraud both St. Rita’s Hospital and Danbury Hospital by billing the hospitals for software and services that were never provided.

Specifically, ROE billed and received from St. Rita’s Hospital approximately $75,000 for services that were never provided, and billed and received from Danbury Hospital approximately $95,000 for software that was never provided. ROE also billed Danbury Hospital for an additional $25,000, the payment on which was stopped.

Judge Bryant has scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2011, at which time ROE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $1 million. ROE also has agreed to pay restitution in the total amount of $216,166, which includes an additional $46,166 that ROE agrees that he received from Danbury Hospital incorrectly.

On August 17, 2010, ROE was arrested on a federal criminal complaint stemming from this fraud scheme. He has been released on bond since September 9, 2010.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rahul Kale and Senior Litigation Counsel Richard J. Schechter.