Found guilty a year ago for bribery and fraud and now each get to serve approx 7 years in Federal prison. Governor Siegelman took 1/2 a million in campaign funds in exchange for putting Scrushy on a critical hospital board, just as 4 previous governors had. Scrushy had already been acquitted for falsifying financials and stealing millions from the multi-billion dollar Healthsouth, when he was CEO. 17 people under him were found guilty, yet hhe claimed ignorance. It worked and in the HEalthSOuth trial he was acquitted of all charges…
Now they both were trotted out in shackles. I feel kinda bad for the Govnah. I was at his inauguration and spoke with him a few times as my sister worked with him. I think he did what they all do in State politics and got caught up with a real crook and is paying the price along with him. As most politicians do, he thought the good he could do would outweigh the little bit of evil. SOme say it was Republicans behind it all. I don’t care as he promised great things and when his lottery plan did not work, he had no plan B and was pretty much a lame duck.
I know many people that work(ed) at Healthsouth and some who had retirements or life savings invested in Scrushy’s company. After the shit hit the fan, those stocks dropped under a dollar as the value of the company and earnings were inflated to make money. It worked. Billions were made on false books. Scrushy’s family and many of those who are already serving time are set for life. Other people’s savings are gone. The company is a shadow of the multi-national healthcare system that it was.
Scrushy became a minister and invested heavily in black churches in preparation many years ago for this sentencing date he imagined could come. He paraded his family in and out of the courtroom often. He and his children bowed heads and prayed outside the courthouse. ALl this while Healthsouth facilities were being sold and/or closed and his name was being taken off buildings and streets. He can rot in jail as far as I am concerned.