In Dentists

Ex-MetroHealth COO, dental director sentenced 15 years for fraud, kickback scheme

A judge sentenced former director of Cleveland-based MetroHealth Hospital System's dental program to 15 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the hospital through a series of bribes and kickbacks that totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the Department of Justice.

Edward Hills, DDS, who also served as the hospital's COO, and three other dentists at MetroHealth were found guilty of criminal charges in July 2018. Court documents indicate Dr. Hills and two co-defendants participated in a racketeering conspiracy between 2008 and 2016.

Federal prosecutors claimed Dr. Hill solicited cash, checks and gifts from two co-defendant dentists. In return, the former COO allowed the dentists to operate their own private practices in addition to receiving full-time salaries at the hospital.

During Dr. Hill's time as president, he allowed the dentists to hire MetroHealth dental residents to work at their private practices. The co-defendants were not obligated to pay wages or salaries to the dental residents.

Dr. Hill's co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

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