Federal Investigation Intensifies as Steward Health Executives' Phones Seized
Becker's Hospital Review
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Contributed by: Kate Gamble
Summary
Federal authorities have seized the phones of former Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre and Armin Ernst, the head of the company's international operations, as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption, bribery, and fraud within Steward. This investigation follows the company's bankruptcy filing and the divestment of most of its hospitals. De la Torre recently left Steward after a Senate vote held him in contempt for failing to attend a hearing, and he has since sued the Senate committee for retaliation. The inquiry has also gained attention following testimony from former House Speaker John Boehner, a Steward board member, to a federal grand jury. While neither de la Torre nor Ernst has been formally charged, the phone seizure suggests a serious focus on their activities in connection with broader allegations of bribery involving Steward executives in Malta.
