San Diego Union Tribune

U.S. seeks end to Alvarado case; Dismissal of counts is part of settlement

May 31, 2006

...Federal prosecutors yesterday asked a San Diego federal judge to dismiss criminal charges against Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, its owner and its former chief executive.
The request by U.S. Attorney Carol Lam came nearly two weeks after she struck an agreement with Tenet Healthcare Corp., the hospital's owner, to settle the charges after Tenet promised to sell or close the east San Diego medical center and to pay the government $21 million.

If accepted by the judge, the request would formally end a three-year-old case that failed to produce any convictions despite two trials on charges that the hospital paid doctors kickbacks for patient referrals...

...An attorney for Barry Weinbaum, the hospital's former CEO, also welcomed the filing. "(Weinbaum) is obviously elated that it's all over," Tom McNamara said...