Federal prosecutors say Carroll and another Metrohealth employee, who has not been charged, took more than 675 thousand dollars in gifts from Patel, including trips to India and Japan, rugs, jewelry, a Jacuzzi and sauna and other home improvements. The bribery scheme allegedly took place over nine years.
Carroll, who was Vice President of Facilities and Construction Services, was fired from Metrohealth last summer after hospital officials became suspicious and conducted an internal investigation. Patel was an executive for East-West Construction, which was awarded contracts totaling more than 20 million dollars from 1999 through 2008.
Carroll and Patel were charged under criminal information filings typically used when a plea deal has been struck. The charges are part of a wider federal investigation into corruption in Cuyahoga County, which operates Metrohealth.
In a written statement, President Mark Moran says Metrohealth was a victim in the case, and that the hospital has reviewed internal policies and procedures to make sure it doesn't happen again.
