Cardwell agrees to $3.5 million settlement

Posted 9/3/13

“By entering into this agreement, Cardwell is admitting his liability for $3,500,000, but is making no admission that any aspect of the alleged conduct in fact occurred,” according to the document, which was signed by Cardwell on Aug. …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Cardwell agrees to $3.5 million settlement

Posted

Paul Cardwell, Powell Valley Healthcare’s former chief executive officer, has agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed against him by his former employer, HealthTech Management Services.

“By entering into this agreement, Cardwell is admitting his liability for $3,500,000, but is making no admission that any aspect of the alleged conduct in fact occurred,” according to the document, which was signed by Cardwell on Aug. 22.

HealthTech provides management at Powell Valley Healthcare and hired Cardwell to lead the PVHC as chief executive officer.

Eli Richardson, an attorney for HealthTech, said the settlement covers all claims, including the money that was stolen and “consequential damages from that activity.”

If the agreement is approved in court, Richardson said, HealthTech could use a variety of methods to collect the money from Cardwell, including garnishment of money and wages.

“If they find real property, they can see about having that property attached and selling it,” Richardson said. That depends on the laws in the state where the property is located.

If property were found overseas, “the law in that regard tends to be complex,” Richardson said. “But it would be typical for a creditor to explore its options in whatever country it finds property in.”

The settlement does not affect the scheduled civil trial against Plake, who admitted in May to helping Cardwell defraud Powell Valley Healthcare of $847,844 between March and September 2011. Plake was sentenced through a plea agreement in criminal court in May to 30 months in prison, but the civil case against him remains.

“We still need to resolve the civil damages against Plake separately,” Richardson said. “He still has a separate liability to answer for.”

A restitution plan for the stolen money was included in Plake’s plea agreement in May, calling for Plake to pay $500 per month or half of his monthly income, whichever is greater.

But that agreement doesn’t cover any damages beyond the amount stolen — such as HealthTech’s costs to replace Cardwell and to investigate the billing scheme.

Cardwell and Plake also are accused of stealing $845,820.77 from White County Memorial Hospital in Indiana, beginning in 2002 or 2003, through a similar scheme when Cardwell was chief executive officer there.

Comments