The ongoing federal corruption probe known as Operation Dollar Bill in 2007 netted a former Rhode Island House majority leader and cost the state’s dominant health insurer $20 million in a settlement.
The year began with the Jan. 31 sentencing to federal prison of former state Sen. John Celona for selling his office for personal gain. Also sentenced to prison terms that day were two former Roger Williams Medical Center executives. Former Roger Williams President Robert Urciuoli was found guilty of stealing Celona’s honest services. Co-defendant Frances Driscoll, a former Roger Williams vice president, was found guilty of mail fraud. Both are appealing their convictions.
On Nov. 2 former House Majority Leader Gerard Martineau pleaded guilty to depriving Rhode Islanders of his honest services by improperly accepting $891,500 worth of paper and plastic bag contracts from the CVS/pharmacy drugstore chain and the state’s largest insurer, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Martineau admitted to using his political position to promote the companies’ legislative agendas. He will be sentenced Feb. 22.
Blue Cross itself avoided criminal charges in the investigation, which began in 2003, by agreeing on Dec. 13 to take responsibility for the actions of unnamed former executives who prosecutors say were involved in the Statehouse corruption scandal.
Blue Cross agreed to pay $20 million to the nonprofit Rhode Island Foundation. The money will be used to support affordable health care initiatives. The insurer agreed to hire an independent ethics monitor and to continue cooperating with the investigation. •
